brochure - Dominican Republic

Transcription

Crystalline waters
Turquoise blue sky
Burning tropical sun
White sandy beaches
Spectacular sunsets
Historical relics
Kind people
Beautiful flowers
White water streams
Color harmony
Tons of smiles
Adventure sports
Golf, baseball
merengue, bachata and son
salsa and reggaeton
Writers, poets
Ecological paths
dunes, mountains
lush vegetation
local and gourmet gastronomy
hustle and bustle
tranquility
cave paintings
cutting-edge technology
communications
sense of humor
endemic reptiles, birds and fish
spelunking…
Colonial area
World Heritage
Colorful transportation
love, joy, hospitality...
all that is missing is you!
www.dominicanway.com
Summary
“La Cotica”, the
National Tourism Guide
of the Dominican
Republic, founded in
1984 and reviewed
and authorized by the
Ministry of Tourism
of the Dominican
Republic, publishes
annual editions in
Spanish, English,
German, French,
Italian, Portuguese,
Russian, Dutch, Czech,
Polish and Swedish.
Registered at the
Ministry of Interior
and Police under
No. 5692 of May 21,
1985. All author and
intellectual property
rights registered at the
Ministry of Education
under No. 6792, page
3534, on April 22, 1985.
La Cotica’s logo is the
work of Spanish painter
Carmen Bernardó. This
edition was updated on
September 30, 2014.
4
Message from the Minister of Tourism
6
La Cotica
8
General information
18
Foreign investment
26
Upon arrival
Language • The nation: government and territory
• Tourism offices in the Dominican Republic • Education
• Religion • Climate • Medical emergencies • Water
• Pharmacies open 24-7 • Electricity • Health • Business
Hours • Medications • Sun • Weights and measurements
• Holidays
Documents: Arrival and Stay • Investment in the
Dominican Republic Consultancy Services • What to
bring from home • Chambers of commerce • Accredited
dominican consulates abroad • Diplomatic missions
accredited to the Dominican Republic
Immigration • Money • Customs regulations • Specialized
Tourist Security Corps CESTUR • Ladies traveling alone
• Traveling with children • Congresses and incentives
• Nuptial celebration in the Dominican Republic • Taxis
32Media
Serenades, a beautiful way of spiritual communication
• Ground transportation • Interurban • Santo Domingo
Metro route • Cruise Ships • Golf courses directory
• Distance chart • Airlines • Rent-A-Car • Airport directory
40Gastronomy
Typical and regional cuisine • The siesta habit
• Restaurant directory
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Where to go
Our beaches • National parks
• National Botanical Garden • National
Zoo • Cultural Square • National
Theater • Sports and recreation
• Museums Directory
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Map of the Dominican
Republic
82
The Cibao Valley
90
Towards the Amber Coast
Our music
Entertainment • Night Life
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What to buy
59
Welcome to the great
Santo Domingo
Art • Amber • Shopping centers
directory
Colonial City • Map of the Colonial
Zone • Beyond the old city walls
• How to exit the Santo Domingo
City • Flavors that identify us • A
destination for shopping and fashion
• Carnivals for everyone • A passion
for baseball • East Santo Domingo
• Boca Chica • West Santo Domingo
• North Santo Domingo • Guerra, Los
Alcarrizos and Pedro Brand
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Tour operators directory
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Hotel and beach resort
directory
La Vega Real and El Santo Cerro
• Mountain tourism • Constanza
• Jarabacoa • Santiago de los Caballeros
Montecristi • Map of the northern region
• Puerto Plata • Map of Puerto Plata
• Cofresí • Costámbar • Long Beach
• Playa Dorada • The Silver Bank
• Sosúa • Cabarete Beach • María
Trinidad Sánchez • Nagua • Samaná • El
Portillo and Las Terrenas
104 Towards the southern region
San Cristóbal • Peravia • Map of the
southern region • Azua de Compostela
• Barahona • Pedernales
114 Towards the Land of The Sunrise
Playa Caribe, Juan Dolio, Guayacanes
and Villas del Mar • Map of the eastern
region • San Pedro de Macorís • La
Romana
122 Higüey, Holy Land of America
Regional Attractions Bávaro –
Punta Cana
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Greetings
Ministry of Tousrism
Dear Visitors:
Without a doubt, the Dominican
Republic is the best option
for your vacation; the ideal
destination for enjoying that well
deserved break, an escape from
your everyday routine.
Our offer is the most fun and most diverse, hence our
standing as the Caribbean region’s tourism leader.
In our country you’ll find ideal weather, heavenly
beaches, a great variety of hotels to satisfy every taste
and need, world-class golf courses, Santo Domingo
-cradle of European civilization of the America-, a
city full of history; and the most ample and delicious
gastronomic offer you can imagine.
Welcome to the Dominican Republic, where the
constant smiles of a kind, hospitable people, the
laughter of the sea, the warmth of the Caribbean sun
and the buoyant merengue and bachata music are all
waiting to welcome you and make you feel at home.
Lic. Francisco Javier García
Minister of Tourism of the Dominican Republic
Acknowledgements
The native parrot, a
Caribbean bird belonging to
the Psittacidae family and the
Amazona Ventralis species
has been a part of our daily
lives from the days of the
Taino hut to the modern
Dominican household.
Due to its exotic appearance
and the ease with which it
reproduces human speech,
it has been a decorative
feature in many homes and
a loud but beloved pet to the
many children and adults who
patiently teach their “Cotica”
to talk.
Parrots can be friendly,
reproachful, tattletales,
cynical, diplomatic, foulmouthed or even political
and highly partisan. Not
surprisingly, their unsolicited
interventions at family
gatherings have often spelled
doom for many an amorous
relationship and even old
friendships.
The native Taínos usually
offered them as gifts to the
Spaniards as a symbol of their
friendship and hospitality.
Current legislation to protect
this nearly extinct wild bird
imposes severe penalties for
any attempt to capture and/
or sell la cotica in any form
whatsoever.
For further information
www.dominicanway.com.
Editor in Chief
Rita Cabrer
Executive Director
Reynaldo Caminero
Sales and Marketing
Rosa Veras
Adrielys Laureano
Bella Rosa Mirabal
Quality Manager
Cristina Rosario
Layout
Mayerlin Castillo
Graphic Design
Arismendi Knox, Ltd.
Photo
godominicarepublic.com,
istockphoto.com,
Thiago da Cunha,
Tiziano de Stéfano
Print
Franklin Dodd Communications
Contributors
Adrián R. Morales, Clúster
Turístico de Santo Domingo
A free copy of this publication
may be obtained at the tourist
information center nearest you
or via email request to Ediciones
Cabrer, Santo Domingo, R.D.
T 809-566-0051 F 809-227-3801
info@lacotica.com
(c) All rights reserved. No
reproduction whatsoever is
authorized without the written
consent of the editor.
Gema Imbert certifies that the
translations in the National Tourist
Guide “La Cotica” are faithful to
the original. Gema Imbert is not
in any way responsible for the
accuracy of said information, or
for any future changes therein.
gemsimbert@hotmail.com
General information
Dominican flag.
Cradle of the Caribbean.
In the heart of the Caribbean, washed by the
waters of the Atlantic Ocean to the north and the
impetuous Caribbean Sea in the south, nestles a
placid and beautiful country officially called The
Dominican Republic.
It is located between latitude 17o 40’ and 19o 56’
North and longitude 68o 20’ and 72o 01’ west of
the Greenwich meridian (GMT-4).
Christopher Columbus discovered the island on
December 5, 1492, during his first voyage to the
New World. It occupies 18,704 sq. mi/48,442
sq. km of the 76,192 sq. km it shares with the
neighboring Republic of Haiti. Its natural beauty
and rich history fascinate as well excite those who
get to know it.
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estimated at around 600,000 was
practically exterminated in less than
thirteen years.
Taino Art.
By a 1508 royal edict, King
Ferdinand of Spain named it
the Island of Santo Domingo.
Its aboriginal name, Quisqueya,
means “mother of all lands” in
the Taino language. At the time
of its “Discovery” by Christopher
Columbus, our island was
populated by aborigines that called
themselves “Tainos”, a word which
translates as “the good”.
The Taino were a part of the Arawak
people of the tropical regions of
the South American continent, from
where it is believed they migrated
by canoe through the Lesser
Antilles to the Greater Antilles. They
were physically well-built; they
had a rather tawny complexion
and dark eyes. Even though they
were generally peaceful and were
practically subjugated by an internal
regime under the dominion of a
“cacique” or chieftain, historical
records do show instances in which
they bravely defended their families,
their land and their freedom from
the Conquistadors that enslaved
them. Unfortunately, a population
Taíno sociopolitical structure was
organized under five polities or
cacicazgos: Marién, governed
by Guacanagarix; Maguá was
dominated by the cacique
Guarionex; Caonabo ruled in
Maguána; in Higüey, Cayacoa;
and Jaragua fell under the might
of Bohechío. After Bohechio’s
death, his sister Anacaona, who
was also the widow of Caonabo,
emerged as his successor. She
was reputedly the cleverest, most
beautiful and talented woman in
the island. Nevertheless, she had
to witness the merciless slaughter
of her people at the sword of
Nicolas de Ovando, the Spanish
governor, in 1503. This first act of
cruelty has gone down in historical
records as the Jaragua Massacre.
Made a prisoner, the Taino Queen
responded to the heinous act with
these words:
“It is not honorable to kill; nor can
honor propitiate the tragedy. Let
us open a bridge of love, so that
across it even our enemies may
walk and leave for posterity their
footprints”.
Language
Spanish is the Country’s official
language. Nevertheless, in some
communities that have a foreign
origin and in tourist hubs English,
German, French, Italian, Dutch and
other languages are spoken.
It is important to point out that the
Dominican way of speaking is the
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National Palace.
result of our collective experiences
and the wisdom of rural farmers and
peasants. Our Spanish comes with
a rustic accent and hinterland flavor
and in our country each region has
its own accent, charm and peculiar
expressions, which usually identify
the speaker from the very moment
he or she opens his or her mouth.
This unique form of expression has
been a source of inspiration for
renowned writers, both native and
foreign. It is not known precisely
when the common country parlance
started to be used in literary
writings. Nevertheless a rustic poem
written in 1635 by Tirso de Molina
earned a literary award— the rustic
lilt had been immortalized thanks to
his sojourn between 1616 and 1618
at the Convent of Las Mercedes in
the colonial zone of Santo Domingo.
Despite the preponderance of
Spanish culture, several words from
the Taino’s melodious and sweet
language remain in use and have
become a part of the everyday
lingo. Nearly all these terms
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preserve their original meaning. For
example: ají (pepper), barbacoa
(barbecue), batea (trough or small
tub), bija (anatto fruit), bohío (hut),
burén (flat griddle), canoa (canoe),
carey (tortoise-shell), caribe
(Caribbean), casabe (cassava), coa
(sharp wood rod), conuco (a plot
of land for cultivation), guanábana
(soursop), guayaba (guava), hamaca
(hammock), higüera (calabash tree),
huracán (hurricane), iguana (iguana),
lambí (conch meat), maíz (corn),
tabaco (tobacco), tiburón (shark),
yagua (palm), and yuca (yucca),
among others.
Some visitors tend to think that we
are either angry or deaf when they
hear us talking. Indeed, shouting and
gesticulating, common among rural
folk who overcome distances by
raising their voices, have now made
their way to urban areas, and have
even crossed generational lines.
For this reason, protest in this
country differs markedly from what
one might see in Switzerland or
the United States. While it is their
practice to walk slowly in silence
at the venue of the protest as they
hold a poster that expresses their
feelings, we Dominicans tend to
shout while making abrupt gestures
and running from one place to the
other in order to call attention. For
this reason a demonstration that
may appear imminently violent to a
visitor tends to fizzle out within half
an hour without any great problems.
This manner of protesting, which
is very much a reflection of our
national character, has on occasion
been misunderstood by the
international media.
The nation: government
and territory
The Dominican Republic has a
population of over million people. Its
territory is divided into 31 provinces
plus the National Capital District of
Santo Domingo. The country is a
Democratic republic. Government
is composed of three branches:
executive, legislative and judicial.
The country elects its president, vice
president and legislators every four
years by universal adult suffrage.
The country’s capital, Santo
Domingo de Guzmán, with a
population of nearly 2.5 million, was
founded by Don Bartolomé Colón on
August 4, 1496. It is the oldest city
of the New World.
Because of its key geographical
position, the Dominican Republic has
always been considered a strategic
location for the hegemony of the
continent and has been coveted
by the great powers. It has been
invaded and controlled at different
times by Spain, France, England,
Simon Bolivar’s Gran Colombia, Haiti
and the United States.
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Tourism offices in the
Dominican Republic
Baní
 809-522-6018
Barahona
 809-524-5130
Bávaro
 809-552-0142
Bayahíbe
 809-556-1060
Boca Chica
 809-523-5106
Cabarete
 809-571-0962
Constanza
 809-539-2900
Higüey
 809-554-2672
Jarabacoa
 809-574-7287
Jimaní
 809-885-9417
La Romana
 809-550-6922
La Vega
 809-242-3231
Las Terrenas
 809-240-6141
Luperón
 809-571-8002
Mao, Valverde
 809-585-9230
Montecristi
 829-570-3744
Nagua
 809-584-3862
Pedernales
 809-524-0409
Puerto Plata
 809-586-3676
Río San Juan
 809-589-2831
Salcedo
 849-858-2956
Samaná
 809-538-2332
San Cristóbal
 809-528-1844
San José de Ocoa
 809-558-4158
San Pedro de Macorís  809-529-3644
Santiago
 809-582-5885
Sosúa
 809-571-3433
Info: Ministry of Tourism, Santo Domingo
 809-221-4660
 www.godominicanrepublic.com
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However, thanks to the unbridled
patriotism of Juan Pablo Duarte,
Francisco del Rosario Sánchez and
Matías Ramón Mella, the Founding
Fathers, the nation won its
independence and the Dominican
Republic, as a free and sovereign
state, was established on February
27th, 1844.
Located on La Hispaniola, the
island beloved by the Great
Admiral Christopher Columbus,
as he himself stated in his diary
...the Dominican Republic’s past
is studded with historical events
that showcase the most prominent
figures of the Age of Discovery...
This land of promise that was
conquered and colonized by the
Spaniards in 1492 continues to
be, five centuries later, a new
frontier that is full of opportunities
and a true paradise for
international tourism.
So, welcome, visitors, to this old
haven of the Americas, the original
site of the conquest of the New
World and Colombian civilizations.
We invite you to browse in the secret
drawers of this antique colonial
cabinet, now five hundred years old,
where relics of an era, very much the
heritage of all of the Americas, still
survive; it is also a source of pride
for those who received the light of
the Gospel under the influence of
Spanish culture.
Education
In 1505 the Convent of the Friars of
the Franciscan Order established
the first primary schools that were
later moved to the St. Francis
Monastery in 1512.
Autonomous University of Santo Domingo.
It was here that the cacique
Guarocuya was educated and
baptized into the Christian faith
under the name Enriquillo.
In 1510 the missionaries of
the Dominican Order settled in
Hispaniola under the leadership
of Friar Pedro de Córdoba. The
Order requested that the Pope
confer the status of University to
the center for higher education that
they were directing. The Pontiff
granted their request by the “In
Apostulatus Culmine” papal bull
and, on October 28, 1538, the first
university in the Americas was
established. It was named after St.
Thomas Aquino. Today, it is the
Universidad Autónoma de Santo
Domingo (Autonomous University of
Santo Domingo), a center of great
intellectual activity whose reputation
aptly earned for the city of Santo
Domingo the nickname “Athens of
the New World”.
Based on that heritage of
scholarship, many prominent
citizens felt the need to make
education accessible to all people.
Consequently, the Constitution
states that free compulsory
education shall be provided for all
children between the ages of six
to twelve. Basic education is no
longer a privilege; it has become
a universal right in the Dominican
Republic.
The state’s public education policy
extends to the secondary level
through the provision of subsidies
for private school education as
well. The State also supports public
higher education at the Universidad
Autónoma de Santo Domingo
(UASD), and subsidizes higher
education schools specializing in
science and technology, as well as
several private academic centers
that have been accredited by the
Ministry for Higher education,
Science and Technology and
several private academic centers
that have been accredited by
the State Department of Higher
Education, Science and Technology
(Ministerio de Educación Superior,
Ciencia y Tecnología).
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Currently public education at
the basic level and secondary
education is provided to more than
2,6 million students nationwide.
It is considered offensive and
inappropriate to enter a temple
inebriated or in shorts.
Religion
The average annual temperature
fluctuates between 18 ºC / 65 ºF
and 27 ºC / 81 ºF.
Climate
In the Dominican Republic, freedom
of religion is guaranteed and
protected under the constitution.
According to the latest census
figures, Roman Catholicism is the
predominant religion of the country.
The fertile Dominican soil is
ideal for the cultivation of grain.
According to the W. Koppen
Medical emergencies
Calle Fantino Falco 21, Ensanche Naco
 809-567-4421
 www.corazonesunidos.com.do
Santo Domingo
Centros de Diagnóstico y Medicina Avanzada y de Conferencias
Médicas y Telemedicina (CEDIMAT) • C/ Pepillo Salcedo Esq. Arturo
Logroño, Sto. Dgo.  809-565-9989  www.cedimat.com
Hospital General de la Plaza de la Salud • Av. Ortega y Gasset, Santo
Domingo  809-565-7477  www.hgps.do
North Region
Centro Médico Bournigal • C/ Antera Mota Esquina Doctor Zafra, Puerto
Plata  809-586-2342  www.bournigal-hospital.com
Hospital Metropolitano de Santiago • Aut. Duarte, Km 2.8, Santiago
 829-947-2222  www.homshospital.com
East Region
Hospitén Bávaro • Carretera Verón-Punta Cana  809-686-1414
 www.hospiten.com.do
Centro Médico Central Romana • Calle I Principal, Central Romana,
La Romana  809-523-3333 Ext. 5491  www.centralromana.com.do
South Region
Centro Médico Regional Barahona • José Francisco Peña Gómez 71,
Barahona  809-524-2470
24-Hour Services
Hospitals • Pharmacie • The Red Cross • Civil Defense
• National Police • Fire Department
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Climate Classification System, the
predominant climate is tropical
savanna climate with two rainy
seasons and its three variations of
jungle, forest and savanna, with
five variations or microclimates,
classified as: humid, dry steppe,
tropical jungle, forest and savanna.
Thus, for Dominicans there is only
one season: summer.
The country’s pleasant climate
may be understood in terms
of its geographical location.
The prevailing determinant of
precipitation and vegetation is the
northwest trade winds. Variations
from the general weather and
vegetational patterns are conditioned
by such factors as elevation and
proximity to ocean currents.
In the Central Mountain Rage, the
Pico Duarte soars to a height of,
as per Professor Kenneth Orvis,
3.098 meters (10.164 feet) above
sea level, making it the highest
peak in all of the Antilles. Another
interesting feature of the island’s
relief is in the province of Barahona:
the Lake Enriquillo. From the lake’s
surface, at 30m below sea level,
emerges Cabritos Island, where
according to Dr. Sophie Jackowska
“there exists the largest reserve of
the American crocodile”.
Water
About 80% of the urban population
has access to tap water.
Nevertheless, to avoid “the revenge
of Caonabo”, one should drink
purified and bottled water.
Pharmacies open 24-7
Farmacia Trizza
Plaza Taveras Center, local 2C, Carretera
Mella, Higüey  809-554-4242
Farmax
Av. Lope de Vega, Plaza Lope de Vega,
Sto. Dgo.  809-333-4444
 www.farmax.com.do
Farmacia Los Hidalgos
Av. Abraham Lincoln 801, Sto. Dgo.
 809-338-0700
 www.farmaciasloshidalgos.com.do
Farmacia Mariam
Instituto Materno Infantil, Av. Juan Pablo
Duarte, Esq. Bisonó Toribio, Santiago
 809-587-3404
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Electricity
We use 100-120V/60Hz NorthAmerican plugs. There are power
outages and blackouts in our
country, but in tourist hubs, 95%
of all hotels have their own private
power supply and restaurants and
other businesses usually have
emergency generators.
Health
In our country, on matters of health
we refer to the Taínos, who first
settled on this island - that they
also called bohío - because they
found in it the largesse of mother
nature, the absence of any hostile
environmental conditions, and a
mild climate that beckoned them to
make this place their home.
Business Hours
Banks: Lobby Hours
8:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m Mon. – Fri.
8:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m Sat.
Banks Express at Malls
9:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. Mon. – Sat.
9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Sun.
Commercial Service Offices
8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m Mon. – Fri.
8:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Sat.
Government Offices
8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Mon. – Fri.
Stores / Shopping Centers
/ Malls
9:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m Mon. – Sun.
Supermarkets
8:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m. Mon. – Sat.
8:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. Sun.
Bars / Nightclubs
6:00 p.m. – 12:00 a.m. Sun. – Thur.
6:00 p.m. – 2:00 a.m. Fri – Sat.
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In recently submitted reports, more
contemporary sources such as
the World Health Organization and
various technical commissions have
offered their conclusions, which
indicate that not much has changed
over time. [...] In all circumstances,
it is possible to enjoy, if one knows
how to choose the right locality,
a delightful climate where lung
disease, scarlet fever and other
dreaded epidemics found in the
Northern countries are not common.
Also, there is no risk of contracting
malaria or yellow fever.
Medications
Most essential and generic
medications are available at
reasonable prices. Nevertheless,
it is advisable to bring with you
whatever pharmaceutical products
and supplies you generally need
or use. Also it is important to keep
at hand antihistamines and insect
repellents to ward off common
insects such as bees, wasps,
mosquitoes and other pests.
Sun
Dermatologists advise against
sunbathing between 11:00 a.m. and
2:00 p.m. Instead, they suggest
gradual exposure and always using
sunscreen and other protective
items such as hats and sunglasses.
Moisturizing the skin daily enhances
and prolongs a tan.
Weights and measurements
Concerning weights and
measurements, the Dominican
Republic uses, in conformity with
national legislation, the metric
system. Nevertheless, the country
Holidays
January 1: New Year’s Day
January 6: Epiphany or Three
Kings day
January 21: Our Lady of Altagracia
January 26: Birthday of Founding
Father, Juan Pablo Duarte
February 27: Independence Day
Moveable: Good Friday
May 1: International Workers Day
Moveable: Corpus Christi
August 16: Restoration Day
September 24: Our Lady of
las Mercedes
October 12: Columbus Day
November 6: Constitution Day
December 25: Christmas Day
continues to use certain units from
the old Spanish system and from
other systems that were formerly
used in the territory.
Urban land areas are measured
in square meters, while in the
countryside they are measured
by “tarea”, a unit that equals 624
sq. meters.
Another unconventional custom in
our markets is the bargaining that
takes place between the potential
buyer and seller to arrive at a
mutually acceptable price. Your
purchasing success will depend
on your human-relations expertise.
During the process you might even
make a friend and the seller might
give you “a ñapa” (something extra)
at the end of the sale.
For more information
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Foreign Investment
If you are considering investing in the Caribbean
region, the Dominican Republic has sets of laws in
place that are aimed at providing foreign investors
with favorable terms in specific areas.
Taking full advantage of these laws, several
telecommunication, transportation, tourism, free
zone industries and other firms and businesses have
established themselves successfully in the country.
The Dominican Republic boasts Single Window for
Investment service (VUI-RD), an advantageous tool
that places the country in a more competitive level
in the region and the world as it offers investors
a single, centralized point where he or she can
perform main processes, including acquiring
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22
any entrepreneurial venture in The
Dominican Republic.
Documents: Arrival
and Stay
permits, certifications and licenses,
all of which are required to bring
forth investment projects. For more
information, please visit
 www.vuird.gob.do.
Various private and public
organizations can provide reliable
information, objective counseling,
and suggestions for succeeding in
In accordance with Law No.
875 regarding Visas, foreigners
traveling to the Dominican Republic
must include among their travel
documents the corresponding Visa
issued by Dominican Embassies
and Consulates accredited abroad,
with the exception of nationals of
countries with which the Dominican
Republic has agreements on
visa exemptions and nationals of
countries authorized to travel to the
country with a tourist card, which
can be acquired for US$10 / £10
in the aforementioned diplomatic
representations, when buying airline
ticket or upon arrival to the country
at international ports and airports,
provided you are visiting the country
exclusively for tourism purposes.
Investment in the Dominican Republic
Consultancy Services
 info@estrellatupete.com
 www.estrellatupete.com
Santiago  809-724-0000
Santo Domingo  809-262-2500
ADETI- Asociación Dominicana de Empresas Turísticas
Inmobiliarias •  809-562-3232  www.adeti.com.do
CEI-RD Centro de Exportación e Inversión de la República
Dominicana •  809-530-5505  www.cei-rd.gov.do
Codelpa • Sto. Dgo.  809-567-0047 – Bávaro  809-552-6247  www.codelpa.com
Gestión y Servicios Empresariales •  809-381-1189
 info@gestionyservicios.com  www.gestionyservicios.com
Russin Vecchi & Heredia Bonettim •  809-535-9511  www.rvhb.com
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To verify current requisites for
your country of origin, visit:
What to bring from home
First of all, bring a positive state of
mind and the intention of having a
good time.
Regardless of what the
thermometer reads while you are
packing, include a bathing suit,
sun screen / lotion, sunglasses and
loose, comfortable clothing made
of natural fibers. Do not forget your
Bermuda shorts and a soft, baggy
robe to wear as you relax and are
lulled to sleep by the sounds of
the gentle breeze rocking the palm
trees on a tropical moonlit night.
Men traveling to attend a
conference, or for business reasons,
may need to bring a jacket and a
tie. Some events, depending the
Chambers of commerce
Nationals
Binationals
American  809-381-0777
 amcham@claro.net.do
Dominican-Brazilian  809-594-0042
 ccdom-bra@hotmail.com
Dominican-Canadian  809-540-7545
 ccdc@claro.net.do
Dominican-Chinese  809-683-6141
 info@rdchina.org
Dominican-Belgian  809-985-8595
 gdehostos@cocdbl.org
Dominican-Ecuadorian  809-549-6831
 esantaella@claro.net.do
Dominican-French  809-472-0500
 admin@ccdfdo.org
Dominican-German  809-688-6700
 ccdomalemana@claro.net.do
Dominican-Honduran  809-508-0701
 luisa.abinader@gmail.com
Dominican-Italian  809-535-5111
 c.italiana@camaraitaliana.com.do
Dominican-Japanese  809-565-5531
 bonanzadom@claro.net.do
Dominican-Korean  809-544-1555
 eantonio.lama@magna.com.do
Dominican-Mexican  809-541-8724
 cadomex@claro.net.do
Dominican-Nicaraguan  809-544-0222
 farachadm@claro.net.do
Dominican-Swiss  809-475-1721
 info@dominicosuiza.org
British  809-616-2335
 recepcion@britchamdr.com
Ducth  809-427-4569
 christina.baber@gmail.com
Puerto Rican  809-732-2792
 treyes@mediosdelcaribe.com
Prochile  809-537-2407
 lrivas@prochile.gob.cl
Russian  809-620-1471
 consuladoruso@gmail.com
Santiago  809-582-2856
 directorejecutivo@camarasantiago.com
 info@camarasantodomingo.do
Spanish  809-567-2147
 info@camacoes.org.do
Taiwanese  809-531-3555
 chuangjenhcueh@gmail.com
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All foreigners entering the Dominican
Republic, be it with a Visa or a tourist
card, must have a valid passport, with
the required minimum validity and must
maintain said passport valid for the
duration of their stay and departure of
the country.
• Info:
Foreign Affairs Ministry
 809-987-7001
 www.mirex.gov.do
General Direction of Migrations
 809-508-2555
 www.migracion.gov.do
type, may require a tuxedo for the
men and an evening dress for the
women. On certain, less-formal
occasions, a white suit or a linen
guayabera may be adequate. For
cool nights (from November through
February), a shawl for ladies is
enough. In the mountains, a light
jacket or sweater might be required.
Don’t forget to bring your camera
and video-recorder. The Colonial
City has areas that are studded
with historical monuments and offer
magnificent scenery, flower-covered
balconies and observation points
from which fabulous effects of high
contrast may be achieved.
There is another dazzling spectacle
you might be lucky enough to
capture, as many painters and
photographers have before, and
keep as an unforgettable memento
of your trip. It takes place in spring,
when the red fronds of the majestic
Flamboyant trees are in full bloom
and strikingly adorn the countryside
and cities alike.
• Tips
The photographing of some museums
and military establishments is
prohibited. In addition, it is not
advised to take a picture of an
on-duty military official, unless you
are first given permission to do so. In
general, people are willing to allow
you to take their picture. You just have
to ask first.
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Accredited dominican
consulates abroad
Antigua and Barbuda
 (268) 562-6571
 adrianoherrerar@hotmail.com
Argentina  (5411) 4894-2080
 consuladodominicano@fibertel.com.ar
Aruba  (297) 583-5330
 consuladordaruba@hotmail.com
France  (331 55) 37 10 30
 consuldompar@wanadoo.fr
French Guyana  (335) 9438-0996
Germany  (4969) 7438-7781
 consuladodominicanoffm@hotmail.com
Greece  (30-210) 748-6948
 co2gendom@yahoo.gr
Australia  (612) 4620-3247
 greg.teal@uws.edu.au
Guadalupe  (590) 41 66 94
 consulatgeneraldgaf@gmail.com
Austria  (431) 505-8555
 consular@embrepdom.at
Haití  509-3836-1293
 consudompuertoprincipe@gmail.com
Bahamas  (242) 26-2618
Honduras  (504) 25553-6357
 walterpablovw@hotmail.com
Belgium  (32-3) 281-5059
 consudom.amberes@skynet.be
Belize  (501) 822-2387
India  91-11-4342-5000
 embadom@dr-embassy-india.com
Israel  (9723) 516-2020
Bolivia  (5912) 279-6282
 admatalon@admatalon.co.il
Brazil  (5511) 3898-1120
Hong Kong  (852) 2521-2801
 domrepcomm@gmail.com
Canada  (416) 369-0403
Italy  (39-02) 2024-0965
 consudomil@tiscalinet.it
 consuladorepdom@salazar-law.com.bo
 consudom@terra.com.br
 info@dominicanconsulate.ca
China  (852) 2521-2801
 ecootd@netvigator.com
Colombia  (571) 300-3765
 crismelylora@yahoo.com
Cuba  (537) 204-3152
 consudomcuba@gmail.com
Curacao  (59-99) 465-9777
 consudomcur@onenet.an
Czech Republic  (420) 241-40-99-39
 consuladodominicanoprg@gmail.com
Denmark  45-2468-2381
 consulrddk@hotmail.com
Ecuador  (5934) 269-0532
 nts@ecua.net.ec
Finland  (358) 96802992
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Jamaica  (876) 906-3898
 jeremiasjimenez1@hotmail.com
Japan  (81-33) 499-6010
 consudom@gol.com
Jordan  (962) 6 582 8222
Martinique  (335) 96-58-24-24
Kazakhstan  7701-7255557
 hconsulkazak.dr@gmail.com
Mexico  (5255) 5260-9531
 consudomex@yahoo.com.mx
Netherlands, Holland
 (31-20) 6471062
Pakistan  (9242) 5872284
 syedumairpk@gmail.com
Palestine  972-2776902
 palestinedrconsul@gmail.com
Info: Foreign Affairs Ministry
 809-987-7001  www.mirex.gov.do
Panama  (507) 264-8630
 consudompma@gmail.com
Sri Lanka  9411 2677201
 bafalulsl@gmail.com
Paraguay  (595 21) 280-137
St. Marteen  (599) 542-0338
Portugal  (351-21) 3637568
Sudán  00249185335937
Philippines  (632) 810-6546
Switzerland  (4143) 818-9344
 infodom@consuldomzh.ch
Puerto Rico  (787) 725-9550
Thailand  (662) 933-5686
 doconbangkok@yahoo.com
Republic of Belarus
Turkey  (90 212) 293-8356
 lalia@hip.com.tr
 javierb@filmagic.com.py
 consudom@net.sapo.pt
 consudom_mm@yahoo.com
 consudompr@hotmail.com
 375-17-284-1774
Republic of Korea  (8241) 529-5773
 ilopezines@hotmail.com
United States of America
 bhjun@willbes.com
 (212) 768-2480
 antedespacho@consuladord-ny.org
Russia  7812-333-2564
 domruspb@gmail.com
Uruguay  (5984) 244 -8857
 consulado@outlook.com
Spain  3491-435-0227
 consudomadrid@hotmail.com
Venezuela  (0212) 762-8983
 consulado.rd.venezuela@hotmail.com
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Diplomatic missions accredited
to the Dominican Republic
Albania  809-482-1352
Ecuador  809-563-8363
Antigua and Barbuda
El Salvador  809-565-4311
 jmromero@lawyer.com
 809-544-3797
 mattress@claro.net.do
Apostolic Nunciature  809-682-3773
 nuncap.rd@claro.net.do
Argentina  809-682-2977
 embarg@claro.net.do
Australia  809-541-4446
 Suite600@claro.net.do
Austria  809-412-4014
 santo-domingo-as@bmaia.gv.at
Bahamas  809-688-3787
 bahamasconsul@claro.net.do
Belgium  809-687-2244
 consulbelga@hotmail.com
Belize 809-567-5023
 consulate@embelize.org
Benin  809-732-5905
 andre@src.com.do
Bolivia  809-530-7081
 mariatelavayen@hotmail.com
Brazil  809-532-4200
 contacto@embajadadebrasil.org.do
British Guyana  809-567-5023
Canada  809-262-3100
 sdmgo@international.gc.ca
Chile  809-797-2889
 embaj.chile@claro.net.do
Colombia  809-562-1670
 erdominicana@cancilleria.gov.co
 mecuador@yahoo.com
 emb.salvador@claro.net.do
European Union  809-227-0525
 delegation-dominican-rep@eeas.europa.eu
Finland  809-564-4440
 info@consulfindom.com
France  809-695-4300
 ambafrance.org@gmail.com
Germany  809-542-8949
 info@santo-domingo.diplo.de
Greece  809-685-3372
 c.otorrino@claro.net.do
Grenada  809-544-3797
 sdqkoenig@gmail.com
Guatemala  809-381-0249
 embrepdominicana@minex.gob.gt
Haití  809-686-7115
 embajadahaiti@yahoo.com
Honduras  809-482-7992
 embhndom@yahoo.com
Iceland  809-532-3256
 miladeh@hotmail.com
IDB  809-562-6400
 biddominicana@iadb.org
Israel  809-472-0774
 info@santodomingo.mfa.gov.il
Italy  809-682-0830
 ambsdom.mail@esteri.it
Jamaica  829-567-7770
 emb.jamaica@tricom.net.do
Japan  809-567-3365
 emb.jpn@claro.net.do
Costa Rica  809-683-7002
Jordan  809-533-0127
Cuba  809-537-2113
Latvia  809-620-0802
Cyprus  809-476-7998
Lebanon  809-547-3441
Czech Republic  809-685-6900
Lithuania  809-565-3333
 embcr.domicana@gmail.com
 embadom@claro.net.do
 consuladodechiprerd2@yahoo.com
 jrbrea@claro.net.do
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 consjordan@gmail.com
 lvconsulate@claro.net.do
 consuladodelibano@gmail.com.do
 caloren2002@gmail.com
Info: Foreign Affairs Ministry
 809-987-7001  www.mirex.gov.do
Mexico  809-687-6444
 embamex@claro.net.do
Saint Lucia  809-544-3797
 consuladosrd@gmail.com
Monaco  809-565-3333
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
 sonwer2@gmail.com
Morroco  809-732-0911
 sifamasdomingo@claro.net.do
Netherlands  809-262-0300
 std@minbuza.nl
Nicaragua  809-535-1120
 ialvarez@cancilleria.go.ni
Norway  809-562-7211
 creid@reid.com.do
The People’s Republic of China
Office of Commercial Development
 809-373-3825
 representacionchinard@gmail.com
Panama  809-685-3533
 panaconsul-rd@claro.net.do
 809-544-3797
 sdqkoenig@gmail.com
Serbia  809-368-1176
 asistenteconsularserbiard@hotmail.com
South Africa  809-508-7100
 n.decastro@drr-law.com
Sovereign Military Order of Malta
 809-549-5576
 emb.ordenmalta@claro.net.do
Spain  809-535-6500
 emb.santodomingo@maec.es
St. Kitts & Nevis  809-567-5023
Paraguay  809-472-0967
Sueden  809-616-3000
 sven@dominicantravel.com
Peru  809-482-3300
Switzerland  809-533-3781
 sdd.vertretung@eda.admin.ch
 claraporcella@yahoo.com
 embaperu@claro.net.do
Philippines  809-563-6633
 dadulo@claro.net.do
Poland  809-472-2072
 g.vega@claro.net.do
Thailand  809-535-9585
 c.cabrera@ceprisa.com.do
Trinidad & Tobago  809-731-3329
 freyes@alnap.com.do
Portugal  809-227-8790
 consulportugal@claro.net.do
Turkey  809-381-4242
Puerto Rico  809-549-63630
 info@puertorico.org.do
UNESCO  809-221-4141
 cnu_rd@hotmail.com
Qatar  809-535-7600
UNICEF  809-473-7373
 santodomingo@unicef.org
Republic of Belarus  809-685-5889
 consuladobelarus.rdom@gmail.com
UNPD  809-537-0909
Republic of China, Taiwán
United Kingdom  809-472-7111
 brit.emb.sadom@claro.net.do
Republic of Korea  809-482-6505
USA  809-567-7775
Romania  809-368-5522
Uruguay  809-227-3475
Russia  809-620-1471
Venezuela  809-537-8882
 info@qatarembdr.com
 809-508-6200
 misiongov@hotmail.com
 embacod@mofa.go.kr
 arturo.villanueva@asonahores.com
 consuladoruso@gmail.com
 turconsd@hotmail.com
 registry.do@undp.org
 santodomingo.usembassy.gov
 urudominicana@mrr.gub.uy
 emb.venezuela@claro.net.do
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Upon arrival
Immigration
Before arriving at the country’s ports, airports or
crossing the border, the international regulatory
form should be filled out and given to immigration
authorities upon arrival and departure.
Money
The monetary unit of the Dominican Republic is
the Dominican peso. Its symbol is RD$. The peso
is divided into 100 cents. In circulation are coins
of 1, 5, 10 and 25 pesos. The currency note is in
denominations of 20, 50, 100, 200, 500, 1.000 and
2.000 pesos.
When shopping, keep in mind that all prices are
quoted in Dominican pesos and you can always pay
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30
without much difficulty. You are
entitled to bring 3 liters of liquor,
200 cigarettes, your laptop, and
medication under prescription.
with local currency. However, it
might work out to your advantage
to pay with US Dollars, provided
you are aware of current exchange
rates, which are published daily in
local newspapers.
As a general rule, you get more
security and more pesos when
exchanging your dollars in
Commercial Banks, which have
branches in the Country’s main
avenues and streets as well as in
shopping centers (See directory
of shopping centers and their
schedules in pages 58 and 16). For
your convenience, there are also
currency exchange establishments
located in most hotels. These are
likewise required to place the daily
exchange rate in public view the
daily exchange rate.
Most hotels, restaurants and
businesses accept major credit
cards, and cardholders are charged
the official exchange rate at the
time of the transaction.
Customs regulations
Personal luggage or other personal
items generally clear customs
Depending on the level of tourism
awareness of the customs inspector
who greets you, you may receive
a warm smile and glide through
customs with your luggage
unchecked, or you might be asked
to open your bags and have your
belongings thoroughly inspected
without receiving a single word
from the customs agent, who is
protected by Dominican law.
If you are on a business trip, on
vacation or traveling for health
reasons, everything will undoubtedly
turn out well. If, on the contrary,
you are part of a group that is
smuggling firearms, explosives,
drugs or other illegal substances,
you will probably find yourself faceto-face with an INTERPOL agent.
According to Act. 50-88 on drug
enforcement in the Dominican
Republic:
For the purposes of the present
legislation, the following are defined
as narcotic drugs:
a) Opium in all its forms and all
its by-products (alkaloids, salts,
compounds, synthetic preparations
or replacements).
b) Heroin.
c) Coca (Erythroxylum Coca).
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Specialized Tourist
Security Corps
CESTUR
d) Cocaine, its by-products,
synthetic replacements or any other
compound whose base it is used as.
e) All plants of the Cannabinacea
Family and those by-products having
narcotic or stimulating properties,
such as: Cannabis Indica, Cannabis
Sativa, Marijuana and other herbs
which present similar properties.
Bávaro
 809-754-3082
Bayahíbe
 809-754-3012
Boca Chica
 809-523-5120
Cabarete
 809-754-2992
Constanza
 809-754-2994
Higüey
 809-754-2988
Jarabacoa
 809-754-3216
Juan Dolio
 809-754-2993
La Romana
 809-754-3033
Las Terrenas
 809-754-3042
Montecristi
 809-754-2978
Nagua
 809-754-3007
Playa Dorada
 809-754-3011
Puerto Plata
 809-754-3101
Punta Cana
 809-754-3157
A daily events and activities
schedule is found in the morning
edition of local newspapers. They
include fashion shows, cultural
events, conferences, exhibitions
and art shows. If you wish to visit
different touristic attractions, check
with the hotel concierge or inquire
about tourist guide services offered
by or to the hotel.
Rio SanJuan
 809-754-3034
Traveling with children
Samaná
 809-754-3066
Santo Domingo
 809-685-0508
Sosúa
 809-754-3274
Zona Colonial
 809-689-6464
Most hotels and resorts offer special
facilities and activities to entertain
visiting children. They also offer
trained personnel to care for children
during the parent’s absence.
CESTUR is an organism that provides
protection and orientation to tourists
visiting our beaches and most popular
tourism and recreation hubs via foot
patrols, water patrols, mounted units,
four wheel units, Segway units and
motorized units.  809-754-3070
 809-754-3000  www.cestur.gob.do
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Severe sanctions are applied to
those people who do not
comply with the above-mentioned
legal provisions.
Ladies traveling alone
Congresses and incentives
International competitiveness
demands that vacation centers have
at the executive traveler’s disposal
secretarial services and state of
the art technology. The Dominican
Republic offers these amenities in
most all of its hotels and resorts,
which receive thousands of visitors
each year who have been invited
to congresses and business fairs,
attracted to the country by the
excellent conditions offered by
the year-round benign climate,
exotic virgin beaches, international
prestige, geographical location,
friendly and hospitable locals
and air, maritime and satellite
connectivity. All these qualities
and many more make the country
an ideal destination for incentive
travels and celebrations of all types
of events.
Nuptial celebration in the
Dominican Republic
Most hotels and resorts listed
in our Directory offer special
wedding and honeymoon packages
conveniently personalized and
customized to make the pre-nuptial
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Taxis
for any pets being brought into
the country:
Taxi Bávaro • Bávaro-Punta Cana
 809-221-2741
Unido Taxi • La Romana
 809-556-4050
Taxi Costámbar • Puerto Plata
 809-586-5335
Taxi Monumental • Santiago
 809-581-0002
Apolo Taxi • Santo Domingo
 809-537-0000
Maxi Taxi • Santo Domingo
 809-541-5989
a) Complete vaccination certificate
signed by a certified vet.
b) A health certificate from the
Office of Animal Health.
c) Anti-rabies vaccine, triple vaccine
(distemper, lectopirosis, hepatitis)
and Parvo-virus vaccine certificates
showing inoculations 15 days prior
to the arrival date of the animal.
Pets not meeting these
requirements will be quarantined
for at least eight days or up to one
Taxi Paraíso • Santo Domingo
 809-683-9000
month, depending on the country
of origin. For all other types of
animals, special authorization
and honeymoon celebrations a
should be sought from and
memorable experience for all couples.
issued by la Dirección General
de Ganadería (Animal Husbandry
For a marriage to be authorized, the
Department).
groom and the bride must bring a
notarized statement attesting to their • Info:
marital status and certified in the
 www.ganaderia.gob.do
Dominican consulate in their country
 809-535-9689.
of origin. If previously married, they
must bring a legalized copy of the
Prior to your departure, be sure
divorce decree, as well as their
to obtain:
valid passports and those of any
accompanying foreign witnesses.
• A health certificate from the Office
Please remember that such
of Animal Health.
documents must be translated into
Spanish upon arrival in the Dominican • Health certificate issued
Republic. It is recommended that all
the requisites should be confirmed
• Vaccination Certificate.
at the time you make your hotel
reservations. For more information,
• Other certificates may be required
visit:  http://bit.ly/AtMF88
by the country of destiny.
Taxi Anacaona • Santo Domingo
 809-531-1212
Traveling with your pet
The Department of Animal Health
requires the following documentation
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For more information
Media
Santo Domingo Metro.
Because of the high quality of its telecommunications,
the Dominican Republic has been consistently ranked
among the best connected countries in Latin America.
The Dominican Republic has permanent access to
any other country on the planet via the internet and
through direct circuits.
The main telecommunication companies offer services
for mobile phones, along with plans designed specially
for travelers’ needs and offering complete access
to local and international calls. Also, in many hotels,
restaurants, shopping malls and main avenues in the
city, wireless connection is possible.
In the Dominican Republic there are eight
newspapers that are published every morning
and they are all available online.
Also,  www.dominicanway.com contains a lot of
information that can be helpful to tourists visiting the
country and is accessible in eleven languages. You
can also acquire information about the country at the
official site for tourism promotion and information,
 www.godominicanrepublic.com.
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Ground transportation
Santo Domingo’s metropolitan area
has a subway line that runs for 15
kilometers in north-south direction
through16 stations, as well as an
east-west line (Line 2A) that begins
at the 9nth kilometer of the Duarte
Highway and travels all the way to
the Francisco del Rosario Sánchez
Bridge, stopping on 14 stations.
There is also a safe and efficient
secondary public transportation
service provided and regulated by
the Development of Land Transport
(FONDET). See route map.
Serenades, a beautiful way
of spiritual communication
In our country, serenades are
among the most cherished
Dominican traditions as they have
been proven to be a beautiful
and effective medium for spiritual
communication. Through them,
one person can harmoniously and
unforgettably express the deepest
feelings of love to another.
Although urbanism has made
it more difficult for the night
troubadour to sing his love song
in front of the lady’s window,
this tradition still prevails in the
neighborhoods of the capital
city and villages in the interior
of the country, as well as in the
rural area. Serenades are still
widely thought to be the most
romantic and simple way to say...
“I love you”.
The city of Santo Domingo also has
permanent public transportation
inside the metropolitan area that
is provided and regulated by the
Oficina Metropolitana de Servicios
de Autobuses (OMSA).
There are eight different bus routes
covered by Mercedes Benz and
Volvo BUSCAAR buses, which
transport passengers for a fee
that ranges from RD$10 to
RD$15 from 6:00 a.m. to
9:30 p.m.
Taxis offering transportation
services in the city of Santo
Domingo are easily located at
airports, ports, the Colonial Zone
Interurban
Caribe Tours
 809-221-4422
Metro Expreso
 809-227-0101
Expreso Bávaro
 809-682-9670
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Santo Domingo Metro route
Stations
Above-ground line
Line 1
1. Mamá Tingó.
2. Gregorio Urbano Gilbert.
3. Gregorio Luperón.
4. José Francisco Peña Gómez.
5. Hermanas Mirabal.
6. Máximo Gómez.
7. Los Taínos.
8. Pedro Livio Cedeño.
9. Peña Batlle.
10. Juan Pablo Duarte.
11. Prof. Juan Bosch.
12. Casandra Damirón.
13. Joaquín Balaguer.
14. Amín Abel.
15. Francisco Alberto Caamaño.
16. Centro de los Héroes.
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Line 1
Line 2A
Line 2A
1. María Montez.
2. Pedro Francisco Bonó.
3. Francisco Gregorio Billini.
4. Ulises Francisco Espaillat.
5. Pedro Mir.
6. Freddy Beras Goico.
7. Juan Ulises Gracía Saleta.
8. Juan Pablo Duarte.
9. Cnel. Rafael T. Fernández Domínguez.
10. Mauricio Báez.
11. Ramón Cáceres.
12. Horacio Vásquez.
13. Manuel de Jesús Galván.
14. Eduardo Brito.
and all hotels, where visitors can
usually also find a board with
information regarding taxi rates.
Usually taxi cabs are cream-colored
or yellow and are identified by a
sign reading “TAXI TURÍSTICO”
along with the code for the vehicle
assigned by the Ministry of Tourism
painted on its doors.
Whether you are in the city or in
other towns, it is not advisable
to utilize the services of vehicles
that are not properly identified
as taxis. Also, the motoconcho
(motorcycle taxi) might be a
popular transportation mode for
some locals, but these are as well
not recommended as they are
unsafe and no insurance will cover
accidents or damages that take
place in these unorthodox taxis.
For transportation from one city or
town to another there are several
reputable companies that have a
long and distinguished track record
in offering safe, efficient and timely
transportation via comfortable airconditioned buses.
Visitors will find car rental offices
and services conveniently located
in all airports. The minimum
required age for renting a car in the
country is 25. For renting vehicles,
a valid driver’s license - whether
local, international or issued at the
renter’s country of origin- and a
credit card are required.
The Dominican Republic has right
hand traffic (RHT). Gas stations
measure fuel in American Gallons.
Tolls are paid on highways.
Cruise Ships
The Dominican Republic’s boom
as a cruise line destination
places the country in a privileged
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Golf courses directory
Location
Name
Holes
Cabeza de Toro Golf Club
Bávaro
9
Catalonia Caribe Golf Club
Bávaro
18
Cocotal Golf and Country Club
Bávaro
18
Punta Blanca Golf Club
Bávaro
18
The Lakes Barceló Golf Course
Bávaro
18
Campo de Golf Bella Vista Bonao
Bonao
9
Jarabacoa Golf Club
Jarabacoa
9
Guavaberry Golf & Country Club
Juan Dolio
18
Metro Country Club, Los Marlins
Golf Resort
Juan Dolio
18
Dye Fore
La Romana
18
La Estancia Golf Course
La Romana
18
La Romana Country Club
La Romana
18
Playa Nueva Romana Golf Club
La Romana
18
Teeth of The Dog
La Romana
18
The Links Golf Course
La Romana
18
Hard Rock Golf Club Cana Bay
Macao
18
Iberostate Bávaro Golf Club
Macao
18
Los Mangos Golf Course
Puerto Plata
9
Playa Dorada Golf Club
Puerto Plata
18
La Cana Golf Club
Punta Cana
18
Los Corales Golf Club
Punta Cana
18
Punta Espada Golf Course
Punta Cana
18
Playa Grande Golf Course
Río San Juan
18
Campo Nacional de Golf Las Lagunas
Santo Domingo
18
Isabel Villas Golf and Country Club
Santo Domingo
9
Santo Domingo Country Club
Santo Domingo
18
Santiago
18
Las Aromas, Santiago Golf Club
Federación Dominicana de Golf  809-338-1004  www.fedogolf.org.do
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position. More and more visitors
reach the nation via cruise ship
and experience the many offers
of sun and beaches, ecotourism,
gastronomy and cultural and
religious tourism that the number
one destination in the Caribbean
has in store. The Port of Santo
Domingo, regarded as one of the
most efficient, safe and modern
in Latin America, receives world
renowned cruise lines, some of
which have made it their home port.
Other important and continuously
growing Dominican ports are La
Romana, Puerto Plata and Samaná.
The cruise line season starts in
October and ends in April.
The ferry that connects the
Dominican capital with the Puerto
Rican capital and the city of
Mayagüez is operated from the
port of Santo Domingo by America
Cruise Ferries. This medium is an
excellent option for business people
and tourists alike due to its low
cost, the frequency of trips and
storage capacity. The ferry plays
an important role in the commercial
relationship between Puerto Rico
and the Dominican Republic.
For more information visit
 www.acferries.com.
• Info:
OPETUR Directory, pag. 72.
Distance chart
Distance
in
Kilometers
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Airlines
Airline
Phone
Website
Air Berlín
809-586-4075
www.airberlin.com
Air Canada
809-959-0200
www.aircanada.com
Air Caraïbes
809-621-7777
www.aircaraibes.com
Air Century
809-826-4222
www.aircentury.com
Air Europa
809-683-8033
www.aireuropa.com
Air France
809-686-8432
www.airfrance.com.do
Air Pullmantur
809-621-7777
www.pullmanturair.com
American Airlines
809-542-5151
www.aa.com
Avianca
809-563-2209
www.avianca.com
British Airways
809-959-0254
www.britishairways.com
Condor
809-221-6111
www.condor.com
Copa Airlines
809-472-2233
www.copaair.com
Cubana Aviación
809-227-2040
www.cubana.cu
Delta Airlines
809-200-9191
www.delta.com
Gol
809-955-1500
www.voegol.com
Iberia
809-227-0010
www.iberia.com
interCaribbean
Airways
1-809-688-6969
1-809-200-0252
www.intercaribbean.com
JetBlue Airways
809-200-9898
www.jetblue.com
LIAT
809-621-7777
www.liatairline.com
Seaborne Airlines
809-959-4293
www.seaborneairlines.com
Spirit Airlines
809-549-0200
www.spirit.com
Sunwing Airlines
809-284-7010
www.flysunwing.com
Transaero
829-634-4447
www.transaero.com
United Airlines
809-541-2000
www.united.com
The Dominican Republic is connected to all corners of the globe through very
convenient flight connections. The principal routes are serviced by the most
prestigious carriers in the airline industry. As a way to further boost the aviation
market in Dominican territory, there are internal routes from Santo Domingo to the
main airports in the rest of the country, among them Santiago de los Caballeros,
Puerto Plata, Punta Cana and Samaná. Hence, there are options for local and foreign
users who wish to cover these distances in the shortest time possible.
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Rent-A-Car
AVIS • George Washington 517  809-535-7191  avis-reservaciones@avis.com.do
 www.avis.com.do
Budget • John F. Kennedy, Km 6 1/2  809-566-6666  info@budget.com.do
 www.budget.com.do
Europcar • Av. Independencia 354  809-688-2121  europcar.reservas@europcar.com.do
 www.europcar.com.do
Hertz • José María Heredia 1, Gazcue  809-221-5333  customerservice@mercantilstodgo.com
 www.hertz.com
Honda • John F. Kennedy / Pepillo Salcedo  809-567-1015  hondarentcar@claro.net.do
 www.hondarentcar.com
National-Alamo • Próceres 41  809-562-1444  nationalcar.dr@grupoambar.com
 www.nationalcar.com
Nelly • Av. Independencia 654  809-687-7997  reservaciones@nellyrac.com
 www.nellyrac.com
Thrifty • Av. Lope de Vega 80  809-333-4000  www.thrifty.com
Airport directory
Name
IATA OACI
Location
Code Code
Phone
Aeropuerto internacional de
Barahona María Montés AIMM
BRX
MDBH
Barahona
809-524-4144
Aeropuerto doméstico
14 de Junio de Constanza
COZ
MDCZ
Constanza,
La Vega
809-539-1022
La Romana LRM
LRM
MDLR
La
Romana
809-813-9000
Puerto Plata Gregorio
Luperón AIGL
POP
MDPP
Puerto
Plata
809-586-0107
Aeropuerto internacional
Puntacana AIPC
PUJ
MDPC
Punta
Cana
809-959-2376
MDAB
Samaná
809-669-6100
Aeropuerto doméstico
Arroyo Barril
Presidente Juan Bosch
AZS
MDCY
Samaná
809-338-5888
del Cibao AIC
STI
MDST
Santiago
809-233-8000
de La Isabela - Dr. Joaquín
Balaguer AIJB
JBQ
MDJB
Santo
Domingo
809-826-4019
Las Américas Dr. José Francisco Peña Gómez AILA-JFPG
SDQ
MDSD
Santo
Domingo
809-947-2225
• Info:
AERODOM - Aeropuertos Dominicanos  www.aerodom.com
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Gastronomy
The Dominican Republic boasts many cozy and
comfortable eating establishments that are headed
by competent chefs whose skills and service will
satisfy the most demanding palate.
Each restaurant carries an international menu, in
addition to its own specialty. Conceivably, you
can enjoy culinary delights from Germany, the
Middle-East, Argentina, Spain, France, Italy, the
Mediterranean, Mexico and East Asia. Above all,
however, feast on some our exotic local specialties.
As a general rule, restaurants accept major
international credit cards.
• Tips
By law, a 18% sales tax (ITBIS) and a 10% service
charge are added to the bill. An additional tip may be
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added if service was particularly
special or excellent.
Typical and regional
cuisine
Local Dominican cuisine is very
rich and varied. If you would like to
sample authentic national dishes and
regional cuisine, visit:
 www.dominicanway.com
and discover all the delicacies
that are available to you.
When on the contrary, you believe a
walk will aid your digestion, take a
tour of the colonial district and walk
in the Colonial Zone, experiencing
the historical legacy that the city
preserves and showcases in its
legendary monuments. In the early
hours of the afternoon, the oldest
streets of the First City of the
Americas are all yours.
The siesta habit
The native Dominican still takes
a nap after lunch. If time permits,
take a momentary vacation, and
let yourself sway in a hammock for
about ten or fifteen minutes after
lunch. You will understand why it
is so difficult for us to get rid of
this habit.
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Restaurant directory
 Reservations
Especialities
1 American Cuisine
2 Latin American
3 Mexican
4 Steakhouses
5 Local Cuisine
6 Spanish
7 French / Swiss
8 International
9 Italian
10 Seafood
11 Oriental
12 Vegetarian
13 Mediterranean
14 New World Cuisine
The city of Santo Domingo has many comfortable and beautiful
restaurants capable of satisfying the most demanding palate.
Bávaro • Punta Cana
Acentos Bistro
 809-959-0161 • Galerías Punta Cana, Punta Cana Village 7-13-6
Capitan Cook
 809-552-0645 • Playa Cortecito, Bávaro 8-10
Boca Chica • Juan Dolio • Guayacanes
Boca Marina
 809-523-6702 • C/ Prolongación Duarte 12 A, Boca Chica 10
El Pelícano
 809-523-4611 • C/ Duarte Esq. Caracol, Be Live Hamaca Hotel 8
El Mesón
 809-526-2666 • C/ Boulevard, Juan Dolio 6
El Sueño
 809-526-3903 • C/ Principal, Juan Dolio 8-9
Neptuno's
 809-523-4703 • C/ Duarte 12, Boca Chica 8-10
Playa El Pescador
 809-526-2613 • Playa de Guayacanes 8-10
Salitre
 809-526-1969 • Playa Guayacanes 10
La Romana
Shish Kabab
 809-556-2737 • Francisco del Castillo Márquez 32, La Romana 8-13
Puerto Plata
Poseidón
 809-291-1111 • Cofresí 10
Barahona • Pedernales
Brisas del Caribe
 809-524-2794 • Carretera Batey Central, Barahona 2-4-5-8-10
Típico Rancho Las Cuevas de las Águilas
 809-753-8058 • La Cueva, 1809 Cabo Rojo, Pedernales 10
Samaná
Mi Corazón
 809-240-5329 • C/ Juan Pablo Duarte 7, Las Terrenas 8
Santiago
Camp David Ranch
 809-276-6400 • Carretera Luperón km 7 1/2, Gurabo 8
Pez Dorado
 809-582-2518 • Calle del Sol 43 8
Santo Domingo
Bottega Frattelli
 809-562-6060 • José Amado Soler esq. Pablo Casals 35 8-9
Café Teatro
 809-689-3430 • Arzobispo Meriño 110, Zona Colonial 8
D' Luis Parrillada
 809-689-7115 • George Washington 25 4
El Ágave
 809-567-3232 • Lope de Vega 104 3
El Conuco
 809-686-0129 • Casimiro de Moya 152 5
La Cassina
 809-363-4444 • Roberto Pastoriza 504, Santo Domingo 13
Marea
 809-732-1350 • Gustavo Mejía Ricart 88 8-10
Mesón De Bari
 809-687-4091 • C/ Hostos 302 5
Mesón De La Cava
 809-533-2818 • Mirador del Sur 1 8
Mesón Iberia
 809-530-7200 • Miguel Angel Monclús 165 6
Mitre
 809-472-1787 • Av. Abraham Lincoln esq. Gustavo Mejía Ricart 7-8-9-14
Ñam Ñam Korean Snack Cuisine
 809-472-0273 • Roberto Pastoriza esq. Manuel de Js. Troncoso 11
Olivo
 809-549-3792 • Madame Curíe 19-P 6
O.livia
 809-547-3592 • Lope de Vega 48 6-7-9
Osteria Da Ciro
 809-563-0939 • Gustavo Mejía Ricart 33, Santo Domingo 9
Restaurante Atarazana
 809-689-2900 • Atarazana 5, Zona Colonial, Santo Domingo 5
Restaurante Ribereño
 809-566-1843 • Federico Geraldino Esq. David Ben Gurión, Piantini 13
Samurai
 809-565-1621 • Calle del Seminario 57, Santo Domingo 11
Vesuvio Malecón
 809-221-1954 • George Washington 521 8-9
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Where to go
Juanillo Beach.
National Botanical Garden.
Our beaches
Perhaps there is no better way of providing our readers
with a more objective appraisal of our beaches than to
borrow an excerpt below from a United Nations report on
our beaches and coasts:
“Of all the tourist beaches in the world, few are blessed
with such beautiful grains of sand or crystal-clear waters.
The beaches are strewn with granules of sand that are so
white that they seem nearly magical, fantastic. Without
question, they must rank among the best in the world.”
The choice is yours! You may bask in the magic of our
unspoiled, virgin Atlantic shores to the north. Or you
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Institute of the Autonomous
University of Santo Domingo.
The National Botanical Garden was
ranked by England’s Kew Gardens
amongst the 10 best in the world,
thanks to the research that is taking
place here, the environmental
education, recreation, maintenance
conditions and its live collections.
National Zoo
Hispaniolan Rhinoceros Iguana.
may lull yourself to wonderland with
the white sands of our southern
shores, alternately kissed and
teased by the crystalline waters of
the Caribbean Sea.
National parks
Designated and managed as the
national parks system are: urban
parks and recreational areas, natural
habitats, and zoological / botanical
reserves where the country’s flora
and fauna are protected.
National Botanical Garden
All known species of the island’s
flora have been collected,
classified and exhibited at
the Museo de Historia Natural
(Museum of Natural History) as well
as at the Jardín Botánico Nacional
(National Botanical Garden). The
latter resembles a huge emerald
island amidst the surrounding
urban development. It also
bears the name of the prominent
Dominican botanist, Dr. Rafael M.
Moscoso, founder of the Botanical
The Dominican Republic, as
a territory in the Caribbean, is
endowed with a varied yet peculiar
range of animal life. A taxonomy
of the island’s fauna shows a
predominance of the lower species,
a rich bird population, and few
native mammals.
Among the most interesting native
species are the rock-climbing
iguanas, of the cyclura type; the
hutias, rodents of the solenodon
and plagidontia types; the American
crocodile, cocodryluys americanus
acatus, and our “cigua palmera”
Dulus Dominicus, the national bird,
all examples of groups and species
exclusive of our Antillean region.
Cultural Square
The Plaza de la Cultura, an oasis
for the city with its huge gardens,
majestic fountains and ancient
trees, just as its name suggest, is
a cultural center located right in
the heart of Santo Domingo. It has
been designed in such a way as to
allow access to its installations from
three of the cities most important
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avenues: Máximo Gómez, Pedro
Henríquez Ureña and César
Nicolás Penson.
The modern building complex
houses the Biblioteca Nacional
(National Library), the Cinemateca
Nacional (National Film Library), the
Galería de Arte Moderno (Gallery of
Modern Art), the Museo de Historia
Natural (Museum of Natural
History), Museo de Historia y
Geografía (Museum of History and
Geography), Museo del Hombre
Dominicano (Museum of Dominican
History), and the Teatro Nacional
(National Theater). A visit to the
Cultural Plaza is more than just a
pleasant stroll; it is a walk through
Dominican culture and history.
• Info:
 809-686-2472
National Theater
The Teatro Nacional (National
Theater) is a modern building
located in the very heart of the
Cultural Plaza.
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The main auditorium can hold 1,700
patrons in comfortably designed
seats that allow for optimal viewing
from any seat. Its state-of-the-art
Theaters
Casa de Teatro
Arzobispo Meriño 110, Zona Colonial,
Guloya
Arzobispo Portes 205, Zona Colonial, Santo
Domingo  809-685-4856
Las Máscaras
Arzobispo Portes 56, Zona Colonial, Santo
Domingo  809-687-9788
 www.teatrolasmascaras.net.do
Palacio de Bellas Artes
Máximo Gómez / Independencia,
 www.bellasartes.gov.do
Teatro Nacional
Máximo Gómez 35, Plaza de la Cultura,
Las Canas
Plaza Comercial Las Canas, Cap Cana,
Punta Cana  809-227-2262
 www.capcana.com
Gran Teatro del Cibao
Av. Las Carreras 1, Santiago
 809-583-1150
 teatrodelcibao@hotmail.com
modulated acoustics system can
authentically transmit a whisper
from stage to audience. Should
your stay coincide with the theater
season, it would be worthwhile
attending a performance.
Sports and recreation
The Dominican Republic is
a unique tourist destination
in the Caribbean. Its benign
climate allows you to watch or
participate in a variety of sports
and recreational activities yearround. Throughout the country’s
vacation and tourist hubs, different
excursions to various sports
activities and tournaments are
regularly organized.
Baseball, be it professional or
amateur, reigns supreme as
the number one sport in the
Dominican Republic.
• Info:
 www.lidom.com
The annual international calendar
for sporting events celebrated in
the country is quite extensive. In
Santo Domingo there are many
good sporting facilities, such as
the Centro Olímpico Juan Pablo
Duarte, the Coliseo Carlos Teo
Cruz and Sebelén Bowling Center,
where gymnastics, basketball,
boxing, fencing, judo, karate, tennis,
billiards and bowling, among other
sports, are practiced.
For those with a need for speed,
there’s the Kartodromo Julian
Barceló, located in the Autopista
30 de Mayo. Here, important
Go-Kart and Karting competitions
take place and it is also an ideal
spot for good, clean fun with one’s
family. Meanwhile, the El Higuero
International Motocross Track hosts
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Jarabacoa.
several international events and
the Autodromo Mobil 1, located in
the 16th Kilometer of the Autopista
Las Américas, is the ideal venue
for automobile racing. Horse
races are held at the Hipódromo
V Centenario, right in front of the
Caribbean Sea.
• Info:
 www.autodromomobil1.com
 www.hvc.com.do
For golf lovers, the country boasts
magnificent 18-hole signature
courses designed by the most
renown golf professionals in the
world, such as P.B. Dye, in Casa de
Campo, (5 courses); Robert Trent
Jones, in Playa Dorada and the
already internationally recognized
Punta Espada by Jack Nicklaus
in Cap Cana, considered by Golf
Magazine as one of the best in the
world. See directory page 36.
If you are a habitual jogger or a
walker, there are places in the
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capital city where you can exercise
safely, both at dawn and at dusk: the
Centro Olímpico, the Malecón, the
Paseo de los Indios or Mirador Sur,
Boulevar Winston Churchill, National
Botanical Garden and The Núñez de
Cáceres Enviromental Park.
The cockfighting season starts
in November and ends in July.
Cockfights are usually held
on Wednesdays, Fridays and
Saturdays. The cockfighting Club
of Santo Domingo is located in the
Avenida Luperón.
• Info:
 809-565-3844
 www.gallerosoy.com
Polo: Facilities and good coaches are
available at Sierra Prieta and Casa de
Campo, in La Romana.
• Info:
 www.adopolo.com  809-696-2857
Jarabacoa and Constanza provide
outings designed for everyone, from
intrepid adventurers to less daring
types. Info: OPETUR Directory,
pag. 72.
For deep-sea fishing and diving,
almost all hotels along the
littoral offer excursions to the
The impressive scenery offered to
coral reefs, fish sanctuaries, and
locals and visitors by the crystalline
treasure-laden sunken vessels
waters that surround our island, make from the age of high sea piracy.
it a paradise for those who enjoy
On the Atlantic coast are sites
aquatic sports. Beaches with tranquil of remarkable beauty that span
waters or with a strong surf, seduce
five provinces, from Montecristi
the aficionados and professionals of
to Samaná. Along the Caribbean
windsurfing, jetskiing, sailing, sport
coast are La Caleta, Bayahibe,
fishing, deep-sea fishing, kitesurfing,
Punta Cana, Bávaro, and the
surfing and diving.
Saona and Catalina islands.
Annually, the Marlin Azul (blue
marlin) classic, as well as the
Dorado and the Marlin Blanco (White
marlin) tournament, are held in Cap
Cana, La Romana and Cabeza de
Toro. Info: Club Náutico de Santo
Domingo, in Andrés, Boca Chica.
• Info:
 809-683-2582
 www.clubnautico.com.do
Practicing scuba diving and being
captivated by the flora and fauna
of the underwater world will be an
unforgettable experience.
There are specialized, world
renowned companies that offer
aquatic excursions for your
enjoyment. Please make sure to
check with the Guest Services
desk in your hotel.
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Audio tours are available for children in Spanish and
English at the Alcázar de Colón museum, the Museo del
Hombre Dominicano and the Museum of Modern Art.
Museums Directory
Alcázar de Diego Colón
Centro Histórico Ron Barceló
Casa del Tostado
ChocoMuseo
Casa Museo Hermanas Mirabal
Convento de los Dominicos
Casa Museo Máximo Gómez
Faro a Colón
Catedral Primada de América
Museo Arqueológico
Regional
Plaza España, Ciudad Colonial, Santo
Domingo.  809-682-4750
9:00 A.M. – 5:00 P.M – TUE – SÁB
9:00 A.M. – 4:00 P.M. – SUN
COVER
Arz. Meriño esq. Padre Billini, Ciudad Colonial, Santo Domingo.  809-689-5000
9:00 A.M.– 5:00 P.M. – TUE – SAT
9:00 A.M.– 4:00 P.M. – SUN
COVER
Carretera Duarte Km. 1,
El Conuco, Salcedo.
 809-587-8530
9:00 A.M. – 5:00 P.M. – MON – SUN
COVER
Calle Mella 29, San Fernando de Montecristi, Montecristi.
 829-677-3648
8:00 A.M. – 5:00 P.M. – MON – SAT
8:00 A.M. – 3:00 P.M. – SUN
Arz. Meriño, Plaza Colón, Ciudad Colonial,
Santo Domingo.
 809-682-6593
9:00 A.M. – 5:00 P.M. – MON – SUN
NO COVER
Carretera Ingenio Quisqueya, Km 6 1/2,
San Pedro De Macorís.
 809-563-0019
9:30 A.M. – 2:00 P.M. – MON – FRI
COVER
Avenida Barceló, Bávaro.
Arz. Meriño 254, Zona Colonial, Sto. Dgo.
 809-466-1022
9:00 A.M – 6:00 P.M. – MON – SUN
NO COVER
Hostos esq. Paseo Padre Billini, Ciudad
Colonial, Santo Domingo.  809-682-3780
7:45 A.M. – 1:00 P.M.
3:00 P.M. – 6:00 P.M. – MON – FRI
NO COVER
Boulevard del Faro, Villa Duarte, Santo
Domingo Este.
 809-591-1492
9:00 A.M. – 5:00 P.M. – TUE – SUN
COVER
Altos de Chavón, La Romana
 809- 523-8554
9:00 A. M. – 9:00 P.M. – MON – SUN
COVER
Centro Cultural de las
Telecomunicaciones
Museo Bellapart
Centro Cultural E.
León Jimenes
Museo Casa Del Cordón
Isabel La Católica, Ciudad Colonial, SantoDomingo.  809-633-3333
9:00 A.M.– 4:00 P.M. – TUE – SAT
10:00 A.M. – 5:00 P.M. – SUN • COVER
27 de Febrero 146, Santiago.
 809-582-2315
10:00 A.M. – 7:00 P.M. – TUE – SUN
COVER
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Av. Jonh F. Kennedy Esq. Luis Lembert,
Santo Domingo.  809-541-7721
9:00 A.M. – 6:00 P.M. – MON – FRI
9:00 A.M. – 12:00 M. – SAT
NO COVER
Isabel La Católica Esq. Emiliano Tejera,
Santo Domingo.
 809-687-4722
8:00 A.M. – 5:00 P.M. – MON – SUN
NO COVER
Museo De Arte Moderno
Pedro H. Ureña, Plaza de la Cultura,
Santo Domingo.
 809-685-2154
9:00 A.M. – 5:00 P.M. – TUE – SUN
COVER
Museo de la Resistencia
Dominicana
Arz. Nouel 210, Ciudad Colonial, Santo
Domingo.  809-688-4440
9:30 A.M. – 6:00 P.M. – TUE – SUN
COVER
Museo de La Altagracia
Museo Dominicano del Larimar
Museo Casa De Duarte
Museo Fortaleza
de San Felipe
Basílica de Nuestra Señora de La
Altagracia, Higüey.
 809-554- 2748
8:30 A.M – 5:00 P.M. – TUE – SUN
COVER
ISATel La Católica 308, Ciudad Colonial,
Santo Domingo.
 809-687-1436
8:30 A.M. – 3:00 P.M. – MON – FRI
NO COVER
Isabel La Católica 54 esq. P. Billini, Ciudad
Colonial, Santo Domingo.
 809-689-6605
9:00 A.M. – 6:00 P.M. – MON – SAT
NO COVER
Extremo Oeste Malecón, Puerto Plata.
 809-330-8876
9:00 A.M. – 4:45 P.M. – TUE – SUN
COVER
Museo Del Hombre Dominicano
Museo Infantil Trampolín
Museo del Ron y la Caña
Museo Mundo del Ámbar
Museo de las Casas Reales
Museo Numismático y Filatélico
Museo de Historia Natural
Panteón de la Patria
Santo Domingo.
 809-687-3622
9:00 A.M. – 5:00 P.M. – TUE – SUN
COVER
Isabel La Católica, Ciudad Colonial, Santo
Domingo.  809-685-5111
9:00 A.M. – 4:00 P.M. – MON – WED
9:00 A.M. – 5:00 P.M. – THU – SAT
COVER
Las Damas esq. Mercedes, Ciudad Colonial, Santo Domingo.  809-682-4202
9:00 A.M. – 5:00 P.M. – TUE – SAT
9:00 A.M. – 4:00 P.M.– SUN
COVER
Santo Domingo.
 809-689-0106
9:00 A.M. – 5:00 P.M. – TUE – SUN
COVER
Las Damas, Ciudad Colonial, Santo Domingo.  809-685-5551
9:00 A.M. – 5:00 P.M. – TUE – FRI
10:00; A.M. – 6:00 P.M. – SAT – SUN
COVER
Arz. Meriño 452 esq. Restauración, Ciudad
Colonial, Santo Domingo.  809-686-5700
9:00 A.M. – 6:00 P.M. – MON – SAT
9:00 A.M. – 1:00 P.M. – SUN
NO COVER
Dr. Pedro Henríquez Ureña Edif. Banco
Central, Santo Domingo.
 809-221-9111
9:00 A.M. – 4:00 P.M. – MON – FRI
NO COVER
Las Damas 52, Ciudad Colonial,
Santo Domingo.  809-689-0089
12:00 M. – 6:00 P.M – MON
8:00 A.M. – 5:00 P.M. – TUE- SUN
NO COVER
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Our Music
Güira.
Of all the musical styles and rhythms that enrich our
folklore, Merengue is king and has been declared
an Intangible Cultural Treasure of the Dominican
Republic. As a popular musical form, it is very
dynamic and varies from one generation to the next.
Generally sung in our vernacular, we love to move to
the thump and beat of this music which, according
to the lyrics of a carnival song, pulsates in our every
being the urge to: “...dance in the street by day, dance
in the street by night.” Merengue is the sum total of
the harmonious interplay of the güira, the tambora
(small drum), and the accordion.
Just as in the 19th century, Lanner and Strauss took
the waltz from local taverns to the great dance halls
and the imperial Austrian theaters, the Dominican
merengue has been interpreted by national and foreign
dance bands and symphonic orchestras, thanks to the
works of important Dominican composers of yesterday
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amidst musical games and the
practice of singing before school
continues today. Rural farmers in
the countryside sing tunes and
“cantos de hacha” (axe songs) in
the conuco (small farm). They chant
their prayers and express their love
with song. No wonder serenading is
so popular! And, when a child dies
in rural areas, mourners sing dirges
called the “baquiní”.
and today: Julio Alberto Hernández,
Juan Francisco García, José Dolores
Cerón, Luis Alberti, Rafael Solano
y Bienvenido Bustamante, among
others, who have also cultivated the
traditional musical forms. Others are:
Enrique de Marchena, Luis Mena,
Francisco Ignacio, Ramón Díaz,
Manuel Simó, Juan Luis Guerra,
Michael Camilo y José Antonio Molina.
Dominicans love to dance. Father
Labat, a French monk who arrived in
the capital city in 1795 when Spain
ceded the island to France by the
Treaty of Basle, made the following
profound observation: “Dance is,
in Santo Domingo, the favorite
passion, and I don’t believe that
there is anywhere in the world where
people are more drawn to musical
vibrations.” Labat’s observation is
very apt. Singing is probably the only
phenomenon which can rival dancing
as food for the Dominican’s soul.
To this day, it is customary to sing
lullabies to infants before they
fall asleep. The child is raised
The bachata, a musical genre whose
sounds remind us of the Cuban
son-boleros and of Puerto Rican
dance, has firmly introduced itself
into the taste and idiosyncrasy of
the Dominican people. Also known
as the “music of anguish and love
scorned”, this genre enjoys huge
popularity abroad and is considered
a true representation of the people
of the rural areas of the Dominican
Republic, as well as the sound of
popular “fiestas”.
• Tip
The güira is a typical Dominican
instrument that consists of a grater
made of latten brass in the shape of a
hollow cylinder that, when scratched
with a scraper, emits a buzzing
rhythmic sound. Our indigenous
Indian population used it in the areíto
(Indian ceremonial song and dance).
They made it from the attractive
fruit of the gourd, from which they
extracted the pulp and then scraped
it, to later rhythmically rasp it with a
forked stick. There still are pericos
ripiaos that use this type of güira.
The perico ripiao, a minstrel trio,
interprets various popular musical
forms in the rural environment. The
Dominican tambora (small drum) owes
its peculiar sound to having on one
side, the hide of an old male goat,
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Entertainment
Coco Bongo
Centro Comercial Downtown Punta Cana, carretera Barceló –Verón– esq.
El Boulevard, cruce de Coco Loco, Bávaro, Punta Cana  809-466-1111
 www.cocobongo.com.do  cocopuntacana@cocobongo.com.do
Bávaro, Punta Cana
Areito  809-687-7788
Hotel Caribe Club Princess
Hard Rock Café  809-552-0594
Palma Real Shopping Village,
Punta Cana
Huracán Café  809-552-1046
Los Corales
Imagine  809-466-1049
Carretera Arena Gorda, Cocoloco, Friusa
Mangú Disco  809-221-8787
Hotel Occidental Grand Punta Cana
ORO Nightclub Punta Cana
 809-687-0000
Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Punta Cana
La Romana
Onno's Bar  809-523-2868
Altos de Chavón, Casa de Campo
Victory Club  809 523-2264
Altos de Chavón, Casa de Campo
Puerto Plata
Light House Lounge & Disco
 809-291-1000
Ocean World, Puerto Plata
Samaná
Café del Mar  809-503-6363
Puerto Bahía, Samaná
Gaia  809-240-5133
Pueblo de los Pescadores,
Las Terrenas
Paco Cabana  809-240-5301
Calle Libertad 1, Las Terrenas
Porto Bar  809-240-5011
Balcones del Atlántico, Las Terrenas
Santiago
Ahí Bar  809-581-6779
R. César Tolentino esq. Restauración
Andy Ranch  809-241-8358
Aut. J. Balaguer, Cruce de Quinigua
Sabrass Café-Bar
 809-241-6741
Av. J. Pablo Duarte 101, Plaza
Boulevar Galería
Tribecca Lounge  809-724-5000
Calle Mauricio Álvarez 6, Los Colegios
Santo Domingo
Bottom´s Bar  809-541-6226
Hotel Plaza Naco Santo Domingo
Cava Alta  809-518-9000
Agustín Lara 19 esq. Max H. Ureña
Cinema Café  809-221-7555
Av. Pedro H. Ureña, Plaza de La Cultura
Pure  809-682-2102
Hotel Magna 365
Ferro Café  809-540-5718
Max H. Ureña esq. Virgilio Díaz Ordoñez
Guácara Taína  809-533- 0671
Av. Mirador Sur
Jet Set  809-535-4145
Av. Independencia 14
La Barrica  809-334-5803
Av. Abraham Lincoln esq. José
Amado Soler
Maruja Bar  809-566-9103
Gustavo M. Ricart esq. Federico Geraldino
Platinum  809-508-0115
Plaza Mirador, Av. Independencia
Taboo Bamboo  809-227-2727
Roberto Pastoriza 313
Even though each destination has specific times set for the closing of entertainment
establishments, tourism hubs are exempt from curfews. When you visit bars and
clubs in our tourist areas, you don’t have to stress out about closing time. You are
free to continue enjoying yourself until dawn and witness a sunrise unlike any other in
the Caribbean.
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tempered with native rum and, on the
other, that of a young female goat that
has not given birth.
Interested in listening to CDs of these
Creole masters? Contact Fundación
Sinfonía (the Symphony Foundation)
 809-535-8587
 www.sinfonia.org.do
Night life
The pleasant weather and
Dominican’s innate friendliness and
outgoing nature allows us to enjoy
an active social life in almost all
corners of the country.
We are a happy and friendly people,
and here the night starts with happy
hours after work.
box-office attractions. Movie listings
and show times available at:
 www.cine.com.do.
There are nice restaurants, discos,
pubs, bohemian bars, and you may
choose from different environments
and shows according to your
preferences and possibilities.
However, there is an even more
enchanting spectacle that can be
enjoyed at no expense to you: a
stroll along the Malecón of Santo
Domingo. During the carnival
celebrations, on New Year’s Day,
and every weekend, this oceanview boulevard is converted into the
world’s longest nightclub.
For moviegoers and film-lovers,
there are modern and comfortable
movie theaters that exhibit current
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What to buy
Dominican Amber.
It is possible to find anything you seek here and to
acquire it for a better price that you would almost
anywhere else.
In Santo Domingo, as well as in its neighboring
towns and inside tourism resorts, there are fabulous
malls and commercial plazas with specialized shops
that represent internationally renown franchises. See
Shopping Center directory page 58.
There are also specialty stores that carry lingerie,
intimate apparel, socks, and fine leather.
Art
“To know a country’s art is to know its people, and
also the emotions of the artists who have created it.”
By visiting our art galleries you will be able to
discover and appreciate our real native art, which is
not the popular pseudo-primitive style that seems to
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throughout the major commercial
centers of Santo Domingo,
as well as in the hinterland and
tourist centers.
be everywhere on other Caribbean
islands, but something far more akin
to the spirit and soul of outstanding
Dominican artists such as Guillo
Pérez, Ramón Oviedo, Alberto
Ulloa, Candido Bidó, Rosa Tavares,
Ada Balcácer and many others.
The Dominican School of Plastic
Arts (located at the corner of
El Conde Street and Isabel La
Católica) maintains a permanent
exhibit in small and medium
formats. In addition to their
affordable prices, these are
guaranteed to be authentic pieces.
For further information, contact the
School of Plastic Arts at
 809-685-6985.
Do you wish to leave this country
with a memento of refined
craftsmanship? In both rural and
urban areas, our people’s collective
artistic expression is usually
manifested in the production of
crafts. Each region expresses its
style and specialty in a variety
of artifacts that are available
Special places of interest are:
Mercado Modelo, El Conde street
and Las Atarazanas, where a
wide choice of crafts made by
local artists are sold: horn, wood,
leather, snail shell, amber and
larimar articles; pottery, ceramics,
baskets, embroidery, and locallymanufactured cotton fabrics. No
matter what you do, do not leave
the country without a typical
mahogany and guano (palm frond)
rocking chair, already packed for
easy shipping. For a one-stop
shopping, you may check out the
Casa de Las mecedoras.
Other prized goods are cigars,
jewelry, rum, Santo Domingo coffee,
cazabe, chocolate and seasonal
fruit marmalades.
Amber
Our national gem, also known around
the world as the “Golden Gem of the
Ages”, holds millenary fossils where
nature exhibits perfectly preserved
evidence of life in the Tertiary Age.
It has electrical energy that is clearly
manifested by the attraction it has on
lighter objects.
Ancient wise men attributed to it
the power of counteracting negative
vibrations and, because of these
“magical properties”, wore it as
an amulet. According to tradition,
however, the gem’s magical
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Shopping centers
Megacentro
Av. San Vicente de Paul esq. Carretera Mella, Santo Domingo Este,
República Dominicana  809-236-7660  www.megacentro.com.do
Silver Sun Gallery
Av. Tiradentes esq. Gustavo Mejía Ricart, Santo Domingo
 809-549-4361  www.silversungallery.com.do
Palma Real Shopping Village
Blue Mall Av. Winston Churchill esq. Gustavo Mejía Ricart, Sto. Dgo.
 809-334-0505  www.bluemall.com.do
San Juan Shopping Center
Diamond Mall Av. Los Próceres, Arroyo
Hondo, Sto. Dgo.  809-412-2189
 www.diamondmall.com.do
Colinas Mall Av. 27 de Febrero, Santiago
 809-576-6555  www.colinasmall.com.do
Galería 360 Av. John F. Kennedy, Sto. Dgo.
Acrópolis Av. Winston Churchill esq. Rafael
Multicentro Churchill Av. Winston
Ágora Mall Av. John F. Kennedy esq. Abraham Lincoln, Santo Domingo  809-472-2076
 www.agora.com.do
Novo-Centro Av. Lope de Vega 29,
Bella Vista Mall Av. Sarasota 62, Bella
Vista, Sto. Dgo.  809-255-0665
 www.bellavistamall.net
Sambil Av. John F. Kennedy esq. Paseo de
los Aviadores, Sto. Dgo.  809-633-0505
 www.tusambil.com/santodomingo
attributes remain dormant unless it
is received as a gift.
black amber, which are classified
among the more desirable
varieties. The exhibition and sale
of the finest amber and larimar
jewels are in Santo Domingo,
in the Museum of Ambar and
Larimar, located in an old house in
the Zona Colonial.
Bávaro - Punta Cana  809-552-8725/26
 www.palmarealshoppingvillage.com
Bávaro - Punta Cana  809-466-6000
 www.sanjuanshoppingcenter.com
A. Sánchez, Sto. Dgo.  809-955-2020
 www.acropolisdr.com
Make the most of your stay and
bring home to your loved ones
a jewel as a souvenir of your
visit. There aren’t many places
in the world where you can buy
amber and larimar, the Dominican
turquoise.
One of the biggest deposits
worldwide is located in the Amber
Coast and only in our country can
you find mines of blue, red and
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 809-540-2525  www.galeria360.com.do
Churchill esq. Gustavo Mejía Ricart, Sto. Dgo.
 809-472-4444  www.tiendaslasirena.com
Sto. Dgo.  809-549-5815
 www.novo-centro.com
Christie’s of London auctioned and
sold a piece of Dominican amber
with a pre-historic lizard captured
and preserved intact in its interior.
It sold for US$130,000. The export
of rough amber is restricted.
I am happy to greet you as you begin
reading this guide and get ready to enjoy
an incredible stay in this magical city. And
believe me, it will be incredible.
Santo Domingo rose as the first
city, amongst colors as sweet as sugar
cane, aromas as warm as the tropical
weather and tastes as majestic as its
colonial heritage.
Freddy Ginebra
General Coordinator
Tourism Cluster of Santo Domingo
We are a priviledged land that moves
between all that is cosmopolitan and
all that’s popular; a place for business
but also for fun; we have daring highrise buildings and the venerable Colonial
City; we enjoy crystal-clear beaches
and natural reserves, as well as modern
shopping malls, and stupendous
art galleries.
A capital city that lives the past and
the present, with different rhythms…
History fills the air as one walks the
narrow streets enveloped by the oldest
structures in the New World, those
where Christopher Colombus left us an
abundance of relics. We delight in song
and dance. In this Dominican Liverpool
not a night will go by without you learning
to dance a contagious bachata or
rhythmic merengue. We dress to impress,
from the catwalks of high fashion to
Carnival, where fabulous outfits dazzle
in their wake. By cruise ships, planes,
carriages and even Metro, we never miss
an opportunity to get together and have
fun, especially if its at an electrifying
baseball game or a magnificent golf
course. Everyday we savour our fertile
land, with the most exquisite fruits and
tropical delicacies.
But the city’s main offering is it’s people…
Simply a breed apart. There is no place
on Earth where you’ll encounter better
hosts. I’m not exaggerating. Friends who
are kind, open, caring and warm. In Santo
Domingo we sing a song to life everyday,
sharing smiles along the way.
www.clusterturisticodesantodomingo.org.do
Calle Arzobispo Meriño 157, Ciudad Colonial
809.687.8717
Don’t be surprised if you succumb to its
many charms.
We are waiting for you!
Welcome to the great
Santo Domingo de Guzmán,
modern and cosmopolitan, was
the cradle of American civilization
during the XV and XVI centuries.
Founded in august 1496 by the
Adelantado Bartolomeo Columbus,
it is the oldest city in the New
World. Today it is a metropolis that
blends the passion and allure of the
Caribbean with the cultures that
have contributed to its identity.
the possibility of shopping for the
latest fashion trends.
Effervescent and seductive are
two adjectives visitors use to
describe it, as they surrender
themselves to its excellent cuisine,
exciting night life and culture and
All this plus an asset that visitors,
as per polls, appreciate for its true
worth: the warmth and hospitality
of its people, the expression of the
soul of a nation that invites all who
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Numerous attractions define Santo
Domingo as an attractive, versatile
destination, where travelers can
find everything from vice regal
palaces to modern shopping malls
and entertainment, as well as
ecotourism routes for those who
wish to be in contact with nature.
visit it to stroll through its streets
and the many locations brimming
with magic and authenticity.
A very practical way to get around
in the city is via metro. The newest
addition to the transportation
system serves the metropolitan area
with two lines that run through the
city, one north-south and the other
east-west.
Contagious rhythms like the
merengue, bachata and the ‘perico
ripiao”- all a testament to the
richness of the country’s folklore
- converge with other artistic
manifestations and expressions,
making the Dominican capital a
unique destination that has been
declared by UNESCO one of the
ten most interesting cities in the
Caribbean for cultural tourism.
Colonial City
The best way to get to know the
Colonial City and discover all that
there is in this historical space that
was once surrounded by city walls
and forts is by foot. We suggest
starting off at the Las Damas
Street, the oldest in the first city
of the Americas, where we feel
transported back to the days when
Doña María de Toledo would walk
accompanied by all the lades of
her Spanish vice regal court.
When we see the mixture of
architectural styles from different
eras that mingle here we become
witnesses to how old and new
come together in perfect harmony
with this vibrant city, which, over
500 years after its founding, is
bustling with an effervescent
cultural and nightlife.
When you arrive at Columbus
Park, a fantastic meeting point
and ideal place to rest before
commencing your walk in the
historic quarter, you can opt for
an even more comfortable journey
by taking a ride in the train car
known as the Chu Chu Colonial.
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Map of the
Colonial Zone
However, if you’d rather let your
inner kid come out and play, you
can also opt to travel by “trikke”,
an electric vehicle that resembles
both a bicycle and a scooter.
On your way back, look towards
the southern side of the park,
where you will find one of the sites
most treasured by Dominicans:
the Cathedral of Santa María
de la Encarnación, the oldest in
the Americas.
Culture and history are everywhere
in the Colonial City. Get to know
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66
more about its rich past by visiting
the Vice Regal Palace Alcázar of
Diego Colón, las Atarazanas Reales
(Royal Shipyards), la Casa de la
Moneda (Mint House), the National
Pantheon, the House of Jesuits and
the palaces that once belonged
to Nicolás de Ovando and Hernán
Cortés, among other attractions.
History buffs can opt for the
Museum route. Among the many
museums, the Museum of Las
Casas Reales, the Museum of the
Dominican Family and the Museum
of the Resistance, which features a
chronological look at the horrific era
of Trujillo and evokes catharsis from
he pain he brought so many, are
all a must. There’s also the Amber
Museum and the Larimar Museum.
The Museums’ Long Night is an
event that takes place four times a
year and brings in large numbers of
people all eager to take advantage
of the museums extended schedule
to take in some history aided - as
visitors can be throughout the
year - by modern audio guides with
services available for visitors that
are hearing impaired.
Public spaces in Santo Domingo
reveal the customs and practices
of today’s inhabitants of the older
quarter of the city. Along with
Columbus Park, visitors can walk
through other parks and squares
where they’ll encounter people
playing dominoes, street musicians,
living statues, itinerant art galleries,
antiques and folk art bazaars and
street fruit vendors hawking their
goods, all coming together to
construct a sort of living postcard.
The majestic Plaza España, an
icon of fun and entertainment in
the historic quarter, has served as
the stage for many concerts and
cultural activities and also offers
an unforgettable gastronomic
experience in a fun and lively
environment.
All over the capital city, as in all
the other cities and towns in the
country, you’ll find the famous
“colmados”, Dominican bodegas,
or small grocery stores, that are
a part of Dominican folklore and
idiosyncrasy. Here you’ll always
be able to find ice-cold beer or,
as they are also called, a “vestida
de novia” (“dressed like a bride”,
a reference to the coating of ice
that forms around the bottle of
beer chilled to perfection). Most of
these establishments serve also
as thermometers of what is “in” in
music as the popular radio stations
dedicated to merengue, bachata
and urban music’s top hits are
forever on.
Other tourism routes that will not
disappoint travelers are the religious
route tour of Catholic churches
and landmarks; the National
Independent route, showcasing
sites and landmarks related to the
country’s fight for Independence;
and the military route, featuring forts
and other sites related to the city’s
military history.
El Conde, a beautiful pedestrian
walkway that stretches for 8
blocks, exudes a bohemian,
picturesque ambience in which
varied architectural styles mix and
merge. Its most important buildings
are a part of our collective urban
memory and date back to the early
20th century. The Copello building,
La Ópera building, Ceramé and
the López de Haro bank building
are all samples of Dominicans’ first
attempt at modernity. The Baquero
building and the Diez building
are examples of neoclassic
architecture; and Casa Playime and
the Saviñón building are Art Deco.
Such architectural legacy denotes
a transition from the Colonial to
the Modern. At the shops in El
Conde, visitors can admire and
acquire handicrafts and souvenirs,
and at its cafes, they can enjoy fun
moments accompanied by tapas,
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Santo Domingo is so much
more. Moving towards the area
known as the central polygon, we
enter the Great Santo Domingo,
which little by little shows the
more modern side of the city. In
the neighborhoods of Gazcue,
Naco, Piantini, Paraíso, Evaristo
Morales, Arroyo Hondo, Bella
Vista and Mirador Sur, visitors
will find themselves in metropolis
that frankly displays its budding
development and dazzles thanks to
its ample selection of restaurants,
bars, theaters and shopping malls.
The Plaza de la Cultura is home to
several museums, among them the
Museo del Hombre Dominicano
(Museum of the Dominican Man),
the Museo de Arte Moderno
(Museum of Modern Art) and
the Museo Nacional de Historia
Natural (National Museum of
Natural History). It also holds the
Cinemateca Nacional (National Film
Archives), the Bibioteca Nacional
(National Library) and the Teatro
Nacional (National Theater), the
stage for innumerable artistic and
cultural performances that have
brought joy, awe and wonder to
the lives of Dominicans. To access
this important center, visitors can
travel via metro and get off at the
“Casandra Damirón” stop.
Just as in many other major
cities of the world, the Chinese
community shows off its culture’s
many charms in an area that
has become highly popular
with locals and tourists alike.
In Santo Domingo’s Chinatown
visitors have at their disposal
shops, restaurants, museums
and centers dedicated to Chinese
traditional medicine.
At the Palacio de Bellas Artes (Fine
Arts Palace), inaugurated in1956,
visitors will find the Teatro de
Bellas Artes (Fine arts Theater), the
Ballet Folclórico Nacional (National
Folkloric Ballet), the Escuela
Nacional de Danza (National School
of Dance), the Coro Nacional
(National Choir), the Escuela de
Arte Dramático (School of Dramatic
Arts) and the office of the National
cocktails and even a fine, locally
produced cigar.
Beyond the old city
walls
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68
Symphonic Orchestra. Multiple
artistic performances and shows,
theater and dance festivals and
visual arts exhibitions take place
here throughout the year.
Lined with palm trees, the
Malecón (esplanade) is an
obligatory stop for Santo
Domingo visitors. Facing the
Caribbean Sea, this seaside
esplanade is one of the seven
cultural treasures recognized
by organizers of the American
Capital of Culture in 2010. The
attractive avenue boasts hotels,
casino, entertainment centers
and restaurants. To truly enjoy it,
sit on one of its many benches
and enjoy a cold beer or coconut
water from a freshly cut coconut
as the sea breeze caresses your
skin and gets you day-dreaming
about a second visit to this
hospitable city. Keep in mind
that when the sun sets on the
Malecón, it becomes the longest
outdoor discotheque in the world.
Other important attractions in
Santo Domingo are the Jardín
Botánico (Botanical Gardens) and
the National Zoo, which have been
rated among the most extensive
and complete in the Caribbean.
The Botanical Gardens, with
an area of two million square
meters, and boasting palm trees,
endemic plants, orchids and
exotic flora is an earthly paradise
for relaxation and exercise. The
National Zoo, thanks to its vast
extension and great diversity of
species, is an attractive option
for those traveling with kids.
Their mascot is the soledonon,
the oldest and largest species
of all the insect-eating mammals
in the Antilles, and the only
surviving representative for native
insectivorous mammals in
the island.
How to exit the Santo
Domingo City
Flavors that identify us Santo Domingo, a festival for
Over 500 years of fusions and
influences have given shape to
Dominican cuisine. And Santo
Domingo, with an extraordinary
number of restaurants, is a culinary
paradise that stands out in the
Caribbean. Tropical fruits and
vegetables, shellfish, fish and meats
are turned into culinary masterpieces
at the hands of expert chefs that
delight visitors’ taste buds. From fish
with coconut, catibías (Dominicanstyle empanadas made with yucca)
and the chivo liniero (Northwesternstyle stewed goat seasoned with
oregano), to the shrimp of Sánchez,
in Sámana; mangú and traditional
Dominican drinks, the vast array
of flavors is an irresistible pleasure
for visitors.
One of the organizations dedicated
to rescuing the country’s culinary
identity is the Centro Cultural
Gastronómico Casa Caribe, first of
its kind in the region and dedicated
to promote New Dominican Cuisine.
As for gastronomic events, Taste
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foodies with exhibitions of products,
conferences, workshops, culinary
shows and wine and food tastings,
definitely stands out.
You cannot leave Santo Domingo
without sampling its traditional
dishes: the Sancocho, a hearty
stew that combines different meats,
vegetables, plantain and tubers;
the locrio, a dish that resembles
Spanish paella; the mangú, puréed
boiled green plantains; the Bandera
(“the flag”), the typical Dominican
lunch consisting of white rice,
red kidney beans, meat and fried
sweet plantains; roasted pork; the
pica-pollo, which is Dominicanstyle fried chicken; the moro de
gandules con coco, a mixture of
rice and green pigeon peas cooked
in coconut milk, and every type of
fish and shellfish. At the end of this
feast, there will be palitos de coco
(coconut sticks), canquiñas (a taffylike candy cane), habichuelas con
dulce (sweet cream of beans), jalao
(ball-shaped sweets made with
coconut and molasses), mala rabia
(sweet plantains, guava and sweet
potato cooked in simple syrup),
conconete (a coconut-based
macaroon), alegría, majarete (sweet
corn pudding) and a great variety
of milk-based sweets.
A destination for
shopping and fashion
Thanks to its positive investment
climate, the Dominican Republic
has experienced over the last
few years an economic boom
that has been highly profitable for
both foreign investors and local
entrepreneurs. Hence, important
shopping malls and centers have
emerged in Santo Domingo,
making it an excellent destination
for shopping.
At Acrópolis, Ágora Mall, Blue
Mall, Galería 360 and Sambil you’ll
find international brand name
goods, handicrafts and fine jewelry
manufactured by Dominican
goldsmiths with native elements.
The traditional chacabana or
guayabera is a garment that shows
that comfort and elegance go hand
in hand in the Caribbean. Typically
worn by men, there are attractive
female versions of this classic, hotweather shirt.
Santo Domingo is also a fantastic
destination for fashion. With
DominicanaModa the country has
entered the world of high-fashion
runway shows. The event has
become the most important fashion
event in the Caribbean and an
excellent platform for the promotion
of the country’s talented young
designers and beautiful models.
Carnivals for everyone
For Dominicans, Carnival is a
transcendental party. Each year
the Dominican people look forward
to the arrival of February in order
to experience the lavish display
of colors, joy and popular culture.
With Santo Domingo named the
Ibero-American Carnival Capital
2014-2015, the city will pull out all
the stops to make this traditional
celebration an unforgettable event
for all those who are lucky enough
to witness it.
A passion for baseball
Be it professional or amateur,
baseball is the king of sports in the
Dominican Republic. Eternal rivals
Faro a Colón (Columbus' Lighthouse).
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Licey Tigers and Escogido Lions are
the stars of local sports life, while
Dominican Major League Baseball
players are an always-popular
conversation topic. If you visit Santo
Domingo in winter, the Dominican
Baseball season, make it a point to
visit the stadium and enjoy a live
game. For more information see
page 47.
East Santo Domingo
Visitors can almost touch history
in the peculiar building located
between the Ozama River marina
and the enormous Molinos
Modernos industrial complex. It is
the Capilla del Rosario (Chapel of
the Rosary), dedicated to the Virgin
of seafarers. It was built in the
same patch of land where in 1498
Bartolomeo Columbus founded the
Village of Santo Domingo. In the
area of Los Molinos lies SANSOUCÍ,
the port of Santo Domingo. Its
operations include the reception of
cruise ships, ferries, freight services
and events.
The main thoroughfares of East
Santo Domingo are San Vicente de
Paúl Avenue and Venezuela Avenue.
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72
The latter is the most commercially
active and its nightlife includes a
mixture of elements foreign and
local, a result of investments done
by Dominicans living abroad.
East Santo Domingo is a part of
the capital’s “Green Belt” thanks
to its lovely woodlands, which
contain important water reserves.
Other natural parks of great beauty
in the area are the Manantiales
del Cachón de la Rubia and the
Humedales del Ozama, both rich
in endemic flora and fauna. The
National Aquarium is also located in
the area and holds a live collection
of the country’s and the Caribbean
region’s marine and aquatic fauna.
It’s an attraction that will delight
young and old. There are over 250
marine species and 90 fish tanks, 7
ponds and a submarine tunnel.
En 1992, among the
commemorative acts for the 5th
Centennial of the Discovery of
America, the urn and mausoleum
that allegedly contained the remains
of the Great Admiral Christopher
Columbus where moved from the
First Cathedral in The Americas
in the Colonial City to Columbus’
Lighthouse (Faro a Colón), an
important monuments built in
the late 20th century to honor his
memory. Visiting it is an interesting
experience as it has a permanent
exhibition presented by Latin
American countries, Spain and
other nations. At night, the crossshaped building projects its lights
into the sky, serving not just as
a guide to sailors, but also as a
reminder that the Evangelization of
the Americas started here.
When you reach the Las Américas
highway, exiting from the Parque
Nacional del Este (National Park
of the East), you’ll encounter the
Los Tres Ojos Museum and Park,
a space that combines natural
beauty with vestiges of the Island’s
first inhabitants; the Hipódromo
V Centenario (horse-racing track)
and the Autódromo Mobil I (motor
racing circuit), whose beautiful
sea views distinguish it from other
similar tracks Central America and
the Caribbean.
When you arrive at the La Caleta
Underwater National Park you’ll
discover, along with its exhibition of
a Taíno burial ground, pre-Hispanic
ceramics and sunken ships, many
amenities for travelers and a
fantastic spot for scuba diving. Just a few meters from the entrance
to the Las Americas International
Airport lies the Multimodal Caucedo
Port, a modern complex for logistics
that is shaping up to become the
most important maritime port in
the Dominican Republic and the
Caribbean. Close to this area,
you’ll find the facilities for the
Parque Cibernético (Cyber Park of
Santo Domingo) and the Instituto
Tecnológico de las Américas (ITLA)
(Technological Institute of
the Americas).
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Boca Chica
30 kilometers from the center
of the city lies Boca Chica, one
of the most popular beaches
in the country and perhaps
the one that best showcases
Dominican idiosyncrasy, as we
can encounter many elements
that are wonderful expressions
of our gastronomy, such as the
famous yaniqueques (a deepfried flatbread made with flour,
baking soda, water and salt), fried
fish and mamajuana (an alcoholic
concoction that is very Dominican
and made with roots, reeds, tree
bark, leaves and sweet spices
mixed in a traditional manner).
From a fishing town and old
sugar production center, Boca
Chica has grown into a muchvisited locality. Thanks to its
proximity to the Capital, its beach
is an ideal weekend and holiday
getaway. It is also quite close to
the Las Américas International
Airport, the second most
important airport in the country
for tourist arrivals.
If you wish to stay in this area,
there are plenty of places to
chose from “all inclusive” hotels
to small establishments along
Duarte Street. In small popular
businesses owned by locals, you
can enjoy pork rinds and fried
chicken, along with other fried
Dominican delicacies that many
consider a particularly delicious
specialty of this area.
Both in Boca Chica and in the
Club Náutico de Santo Domingo
(Nautical Club of Santo Domingo)
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74
visitors can practice different water
sports and activities: diving, water
skiing, kayaking, sailing, banana
boat rides and fishing, among
others. The La Boya beach, located
in Andrés, is ideal for surfing.
The municipality of Boca Chica
is closely linked to baseball. In
this region, the Colorado Rockies
opened a modern academy that
facilitates off season training for
Major League and Minor League
players and serves as a training and
development center for aspiring
Latin American players.
West Santo Domingo
The most highly populated points of
West Santo Domingo are the areas
of Manoguayabo and Herrera. The
municipality of West Santo Domingo
is separated from the National
District by General Gregorio
Luperón Avenue. The country’s first
faculties of agronomy and veterinary
medicine are found in this zone,
both belonging to the Universidad
Autónoma de Santo Domingo.
Engombe, a place of great
importance for tourists and
ecologists alike, houses a hidden
treasure between the Haina
River and Manoguayabo. In the
community known as Palacio de
Engombe lie the ruins of the Santa
Ana Sugar Mill, a colonial building
dating back to the XVI century
and consisting of four structures:
the colonial house or palace, the
church, the warehouse and the
sugar mill.
In West Santo Domingo visitors
also find the Haina International
Terminals Company, right in the
delta of the Haina River and west
of the town of the same name. In
Haina, the infamous Dominican
dictator Trujillo built the Río Haina
Sugar Mill, considered by many
historians as the second largest in
the world.
North Santo Domingo
The Mirador Norte Park, located
between the Hermanas Mirabal
Avenue and Jacobo Majluta
Avenue, is a natural sanctuary
chosen by many families as a
recreation spot ideal for taking
in the soft breeze and lush green
trees during weekends and
holidays. Its 10 square kilometers
include important wetlands
and woodlands, as well as the
largest biodiversity of all Santo
Doming. It is the ideal space for
bird watching, horseback riding,
bicycling, boat sailing, picnics,
walks and celebrations. Its
restaurant, La Cotorra, is a fine
option for a good meal.
The Isabela River, which flows
through the northern part of the
city, is born in the El Pilón Hill and
has as its tributaries the Higüero,
Matúa and Matiguelo Rivers,
as well as numerous streams
and springs. It encircles various
subtropical humid forest areas,
some of which have been selected
for conservation within the Green
Belt of Santo Domingo.
Perhaps visitors don’t have to
travel all the way to Villa Mella to
munch on the famous pork rinds,
as the popular and super popular
creole delicacy is now available in
several stores and shops around
the Capital. However, eating it in
Villa Mella has its charms and is a
worthwhile experience. This area
is also famous ‘the Brootherhood
of the Holy Spirit of the Congos”,
which was in 2001 declared a
Masterpiece of the Oral and
Intangible Heritage of Humanity.
To become more familiar with the
folklore and traditions of the Villa
Mella Congos, you can visit the
Museum of the Holy Spirit. Also,
in no other place in the world will
you find finer Son dancing than in
Villa Mella.
Near the town and a few
kilometers away from the center
of the city we find the Joaquín
Balaguer International Airport,
located in the community of El
Higüero. Here the daily operations
for commercial and private,
national and international flights
are all coordinated.
Guerra, Los
Alcarrizos and Pedro
Brand
An important municipality in the
Great Santo Domingo area is
San Antonio de Guerra. History
tells that the first Dominican
constitutional reform was
performed here by a special
congress in 1854. The community
is dedicated to farming and
growing sugar cane. Other
municipalities that belong to this
province include Los Alcarrizos
and Pedro Brand, where getting
lost in its streets offers the best
opportunity you’ll have to truly
get to know ordinary Dominicans
and become familiar with the daily
going-ons of common citizens,
those who also view the city with
surprise and admiration.
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Members Of The Dominican Republic
Association Of DMC 'S.
Services guaranteed at your destination!
Ticket
Transfers
Business
Hotels
Ecotourism
Tours
Cruisers
Cultural
Tours
Classic Tour Operator •  809-552-1771 • Punta Cana • Puerto Plata
 gregoryclassic@claro.net.do  www.classictour.biz
Connect - DMC •  809-959-0505 • Punta Cana  info@ctsdr.com  www.ctsdr.com
Colonial Tours and Travel •  809-688-5285 • Santo Domingo Boca Chica
• La Romana • Puerto Plata • Punta Cana • Samaná
 colonial@colonialtours.com.do  www.colonialtours.com.do
Destination Services •  809-468-7100 • Punta Cana • Puerto Plata • La Romana
Santo Domingo • Samaná  jmota@destinationservices.com
 www.destinationservices.com
D.S. Voyages •  809-472-6589 • Santo Domingo  d.s@claro.net.do
 www.ds-voyages.com
Domitur •  809-338-7313 • Santo Domingo • Punta Cana  incoming2@domitur.com
 www.domitur.com
Go Caribic •  809-586-4075 • Punta Cana • Puerto Plata • Samaná
 zobeyda.vargas@dertouristik.com.do  www.gocaribic-rewe.com
Hola Tours & Travel •  809-320-5303 • Puerto Plata  agoffaux@holatours.com
 www.holatours.com
IVI DMC Dominican Republic •  809-455-2066 • Bávaro
 galmonte@ividmc.com  www.ividmc.com
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NexusTours •  809-466-2525 • Punta Cana • Puerto Plata • La Romana • Santo
Domingo • Samaná  connect2nexusdr@nexustours.com  www.NexusTours.com
Saonadreams (Dominican Sunland)  809-523-6868 • La Romana • Punta
Cana  info@saonadreams.com  www.saonadreams.com  www.domsunland.com
Tequia Experiences •  809-563-0019 • Santo Domingo
 reservations@tequiaexperiences.com  www.tequiaexperiences.com
Tropical Tours •  809-523-2028 • La Romana
 directorageneral@tropicaltoursromana.com.do  www.tropicaltoursromana.com.do
Turenlaces del Caribe •  809-565-3500 • Santo Domingo
 presidencia@turenlaces.com  www.turenlaces.com
Turinter •  809-686-4020 • Santo Domingo  incoming@turinter.com
 www.turinter.com
Turmaya, S.R.L. •  809-532-4105 • Santo Domingo  resa@turmaya.com.do
 www.turmaya.com.do
Viajes Bohío •  809-686-2992 • Santo Domingo  b.canto@viajesbohio.com
 www.viajesbohio.com
Viajes S&S •  809-724-8300 • Santiago  ventas@viajesss.com
 www.viajesss.com
Vinny, S.R.L. •  809-813-3662 • La Romana  infos@vinny-rep-dom.com
 www.vinny-rep-dom.com
Zeppelin Tours •  809-682-4310 • Santo Domingo  zeppelin@claro.net.do
 www.zeppelintours.com.do
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Legend:
Hotel or Resort Name (Rooms), Addresses
• Geo-referenced coordinates - Tel.  - URL 
Hotel and Beach
Resort directory
Rates on Request. MAP/EP/AP/FAP/All inclusive plan. Slogan.
Air-Conditioned
Coffe Shop
Restaurant
Room Service
Night Club – Disco
Regions
Santo Domingo
The South
North Region
The East
Pool
Tennis
Golf
Beach Resort
Secretarial Services
Telephone
Cable TV
Entertainment
Conference Room
Hotels in the tourist hubs,
identified in special colors,
are grouped in clusters of
available rooms.
The directories of lodging
and eating establishments
were compiled through
the collaboration of the
National Association of
Hoteliers and Tourism
(ASONAHORES) and the
Council for the Promotion
of Tourism.
Casino
Child Care
Wi Fi
Spa
Ecotourism
You may read
travelers’ comments
about these hotels at
www.TripAdvisor.com
la cotica
78
Santo Domingo
BARCELÓ SANTO DOMINGO (216) Máximo Gómez esq. 27 de Febrero
• 18.474579, -69.912416  809-227-2356  www.barcelo.com
Rates on Request. AP/MAP/FAP
BILLINI HOTEL (24) Calle Padre Billini 256 - 258, Ciudad Colonial
• 18.470726, -69.886847  809-338-4040  www.billinihotel.com
Rates on Request. EP. Historic Luxury!
CASAS DEL XVI (20) Padre Billini 252, Ciudad Colonial
• 18.470825, -69.886561  809-688-4061  www.casasdelxvi.com
Rates on Request. Above and Beyond!
CROWNE PLAZA SANTO DOMINGO (186) G. Washington 218
• 18.463754, -69.896215  809-221-0000  www.crowneplaza.com/santodomingo
Rates on Request. EP.
DOMINICAN FIESTA HOTEL & CASINO (282) Av. Anacaona 101, Los Cacicazgos
• 18.439698, -69.969499  809-793-9007  www.ﬁestahotelgroup.com
Rates on Request. AP. El hotel de los grandes eventos!
HOLIDAY INN SANTO DOMINGO (141) Av. Abraham Lincoln 856
•18.476365, -69.936570  809-621-0000  www.ihg.com/holidayinn/hotels/us/en/santo-domingo/sdqex/hoteldetail Rates on Request. EP. Holiday Inn en Santo Domingo... En el centro de todo!
HOSTAL NICOLÁS DE OVANDO MGALLERY (97) Calle Las Damas, Ciudad Colonial
• 18.474517, -69.882997  809-685-9955  www.hostal-nicolas-de-ovando-santo-domingo.com
Rates on Request. AP/FAP/ MAP . Redescubra el Nuevo Mundo en este exclusivo y encantador hotel!
HOTEL FRANCÉS MGALLERY (19) C/ Las Mercedes esq. Arzobispo Meriño, Ciudad Colonial • 18.475514, -69.885011  809-685-9331  www.hotel-frances-santo-domingo.com
Rates on Request. AP/FAP/ MAP . Disfrute de una escapada histórica y romántica!
HOTEL MERCURE COMERCIAL (96) C/ El Conde esq. Hostos , Ciudad Colonial
• 18.473614, -69.885525  809-688-5500
 www.accorhotels.com/gb/hotel-2974-mercure-comercial-santo-domingo/index.shtml
Rates on Request. AP/FAP/ MAP . Descubre la Ciudad Colonial con nosotros!
SHERATON SANTO DOMINGO HOTEL (245) George Washington 365
• 18.462722, -69.897251  809-221-6666  www.starwoodhotels.com
Rates on Request. EP.
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The South
CASA BONITA TROPICAL LODGE (13) Carretera de la Costa, Km 17, Barahona
• 18.103434, -71.078108  809-540-5908  www.casabonitadr.com
AP.
HOSTAL DOÑA CHAVA (27) Calle Segunda No. 5, Barrio Alcoa, Pedernales
• 18.038072, -71.742015  809-524-0332  www.donachava.com
Rates on Request. AP/ MAP
North Region
ALTOCERRO-VILLAS, HOTEL & CAMPING (67) Constanza
• 18.915271, -70.727894 Reservation Center  809-530-6192  www.altocerro.com
Rates on Request. Price on Request. EP. Bienvenidos al descanso!
BARCELÓ PUERTO PLATA (585) Carretera Luperón Km. 5, Puerto Plata
• 19.771529, -70.641378  809-320-5084  www.barcelo.com
All Inclusive Plan.
BE LIVE GRAND MARIEN (584) Carretera Luperón Km 4.5, Complejo turístico Costa
Dorada, Puerto Plata • 19.777951,-70.658895  809-320-1515  www.belivehotels.com All
Inclusive Plan. Be Yourself. Live the Caribbean!
IBEROSTAR COSTA DORADA (516) Carretera Luperón KM 4, Marapica, Puerto Plata
• 19.778784,-70.659132  809-320-1000  www.iberostar.com
All Inclusive Plan.
LIFESTYLE HOLIDAYS VACATION RESORT (1,160) Playa Cofresí# 1, Puerto Plata
• 19.778784, -70.659132  809-970-7777  www.lhvcresorts.com
All Inclusive Plan.
VIVA WYNDHAM TANGERINE (273) Carretera Sosúa-Cabarete
• 19.753311, -70.415855  809-562-6001  www.vivaresorts.com
Rates on Request. All Inclusive Plan.
The East
BE LIVE HAMACA BEACH (343) C/ Duarte 1 esq. Caracol, Boca Chica
• 18.448242,-69.603794  809-523-4611  www.belivehotels.com
All Inclusive Plan. Be yourself, live the Caribbean!
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BE LIVE HAMACA GARDEN (259) C/ Duarte 1 esq. Caracol, Boca Chica
BE LIVE HAMACA SUITES (65) C/ Duarte 1 esq. Caracol, Boca Chica
DON JUAN BEACH RESORT (222) Abraham Núñez 4, Boca Chica
• 18.447283, -69.611772  809-523-4511  www.donjuanbeachresort.com
Rates on request. Tan cerca de ti….!
BE LIVE CANOA (871) Playa Dominicus, Bayahibe, La Romana
All Inclusive Plan. Be yourself. Live the Caribbean!
IBEROSTAR HACIENDA DOMINICUS (502) Boulevard Dominicus, Bayahibe, La Romana
• 18.34580547639998, -68.82364938112309  809-688-36000  www.iberostar.com
All Inclusive Plan. Donde la estrella eres tú!!
VIVA WYNDHAM DOMINICUS BEACH (604) Bayahibe, La Romana
All Inclusive Plan.
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HOTEL VECCHIA CASERMA (37) Carretera La Romana - Bayahibe KM 13
• 18.346797, -68.826117  809-556-6072  www.hotelvecchiacaserma.com
Rates on Request. B/B
VIVA WYNDHAM DOMINICUS PALACE (330) Bayahibe, La Romana
Rates on Request. All Inclusive Plan.
BARCELÓ BÁVARO BEACH RESORT (1991) Bávaro • 18.701454, -68.437909
 809-227-2356  www.barcelo.com
All Inclusive Plan. Un espectacular resort todo incluido en primera línea de playa!
BARCELÓ DOMINICAN BEACH (732) El Cortecito, Bávaro
• 18.687798, -68.417016  809-227-2356  www.barcelo.com
All Inclusive Plan. El mejor lugar, las mejores vacaciones!
BARCELÓ PUNTA CANA (798) Bávaro
• 18.733483, -68.472386  809-227-2356  www.barcelo.com
All Inclusive Plan.
BE LIVE GRAND PUNTA CANA (820) Carretera Cabeza de Toro Km. 7, Bávaro
All Inclusive Plan. Be yourself. Live the Caribbean!
BLAU NATURA PARK BEACH ECO RESORT & SPA (524) Cabeza de Toro, Bávaro
• 18.6523,-68.36626  809-221-2626  www.blauhotels.com
All Inclusive Plan.
EDEN ROC AT CAP CANA, RELAIS & CHÂTEAUX (Hotel Boutique de Lujo)
(34) Boulevard Principal, Cap Cana, Punta Cana • 18.457000, -68.426000
 809-469-7469  www.edenroccapcana.com
Rates on request. AP. Glamour europeo con encanto caribeño!
FOUR POINTS BY SHERATON AT PUNTA CANA VILLAGE (125) C/ Boulevard 1,
1era de Noviembre, Punta Cana • 18.559334, -68.372704  809-959-4444  www.puntacana.com
Rates on request. AP. A unique way of live!
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GRAND PALLADIUM RESORT AND SPA (2001) Bávaro
• 18.692888, -68.426651  809-793-9007  www.palladiumhotelgroup.com
All Inclusive Plan. Vive la experiencia Palladium!
IFA VILLAS BÁVARO RESORT & SPA (652) Bávaro
• 18.670261, -68.405261  809-220-2101  www.ifahotels.com
All Inclusive Plan. Let us delight you!
MELIÁ CARIBE TROPICAL (1,140) Bávaro, Punta Cana
• 18.673444, -68.406972  809-730-6792  809-730-6772  www.melia.com
All Inclusive Plan. You are the journey!
THE WESTIN PUNTACANA RESORT & CLUB (200) Punta Cana
• 18.537897, -68.356206  809-959-2222  www.puntacana.com
TORTUGA BAY (30) Punta Cana
• 18.517343, -68.369413  809-959-8229  www.tortugabayhotel.com
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Caribbean Sea
Atlantic Ocean
Dominican Republic
Cibao Valley
Observe the fascinating view offered by popular
architecture and the intense colors of the dwellings
of the rural folk. In the traditional bohío (a hut
thatched with palm fronds) but also in the more
contemporary homes, you can appreciate the
creativity of the Dominican countryside.
While qualified professionals labor hard to sculpt
comfortable spaces to satisfy the various needs
of the urban environment, the inhabitants of
the Dominican hinterland simply study their
surroundings and build houses that straddle the
fence, between their practical daily needs and their
vital importance of space. Adding a protective
coating against inclement weather and insects,
the rural homebuilder or homeowner ultimately
infuses his persona into his home: the combination
of various tones and hues mirrors the variegated
tapestry of the struggles and joys that are an
integral part of the human experience.
Since you are now touring the central mountain
range (Cordillera Central Massif), let us tell you that
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hospitable, nice and friendly. It is
also notorious for the bravery of
its men.
Jimenoa fall.
our mountainous regions constitute
a splendid natural resource for
ecological and adventure tourism.
This exceptional region is the most
fertile and productive in the country,
our breadbasket. The provinces
Duarte, Espaillat, La Vega Real,
Monseñor Nouel, Salcedo, Sánchez
Ramírez and Santiago de los
Caballeros occupy the center of the
Hispaniola island and in them are
also found great deposits of iron,
gold, nickel, and other minerals.
The province of Duarte’s capital
is San Francisco de Macorís,
a progressive city with a lot of
commercial activity and notoriously
kind and pleasant citizens. Moca,
the capital city of the Espaillat
province, is a charming town: clean
and populated by people who are
If you are traveling through this
region and just happen to be a
chocoholic, go for it and try a very
different and entertaining tour that
starts with you planting a cacao
tree and then takes you through
the Sendero del Cacao or Cacao
Trail at the Quita Espuela Hill. It’s
an educational experience that
guides you from the birth and early
stages of the fruit to the factory
that turns it into a delicious bar
or a cup of that delicious nectar
of the gods that is here offered
to visitors. For further information
and to book a tour:
• Info:
 809-547–2166
 www.cacaotour.com
Upon arriving at the province of
Salcedo, visitors can opt for the
Ruta de las Mariposas tour (Route
of the Butterflies), which allows
them to learn about our history
and get to know the iconic places
that where important in the life
of the Mirabal sisters, as well as
the transcendence of the tragedy
perpetrated against these martyrs
from Salcedo, three of them
victims of the Trujillo dictatorship.
The Dominican people have
immortalized these heroines and
honor their memory each year
on November 25, a day that has
been designated in their honor
as International Day for the
Elimination of Violence Against
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Women by the United Nations
General Assembly. The tour starts
off at the Mirabal Museum and ends
at the monument erected in their
name in front of the home where
there heroines from the Ojo de
Agua community where born. For
those who would like to get better
acquainted with their history, we
recommend “In the Time of the
Butterflies”, by Dominican writer
Julia Alvarez, who masterfully
narrates their lives and death in this
best seller.
La Vega Real and El
Santo Cerro
The origin of La Vega Real goes
back to 1495 when Christopher
Columbus arrived at Guaricano,
dominion of the cacique Guarionex.
Armed with a royal edict to establish
the third fort on American ground,
Columbus oversaw the building
of Fort La Concepción (Fort La
Conception). However, its modest
extension, Villa La Concepción,
gained so much importance for
its gold foundry, that it became
a center of much activity. It may
have been here, it is believed, that
sugarcane was produced for the first
time in the New Indies.
Five kilometers past La Vega, atop
the Santo Cerro, is the first convent
of the Order of Mercy, a historical
relic dedicated to Nuestra Señora de
Las Mercedes (Our Lady of Mercy).
Here, for the first time the cross
(symbol of Christianity in the
Americas) was erected. Legend has
it that in the midst of a bloody battle
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fought between the native Taínos
and the Spaniards, the Virgen de las
Mercedes appeared when cacique
Guarionex tried unsuccessfully to
burn the cross.
It was also here, in 1493, that
Christopher Columbus planted the
cross that had been given to him
by Queen Isabel la Católica when
he left Puerto de Palos de Moguer.
Visitors can view a piece of the
cross, preserved as a silent witness
to the ignominious tragedy that was
visited upon the indigenous people
of the Americas. They can also
contemplate the beauty of the Valle
de la Vega Real from the very spot
where Admiral Don Christopher
Columbus exclaimed before its
magnificence: “This is the most
beautiful land that human eyes have
ever beheld.”
The Carnaval de La Vega, Folkloric
Patrimony of the Nation, is a
colorful cultural event that attracts
many national and foreign visitors
to the beautiful city of La Vega
every February; visitors who
enthusiastically wander through the
Las Flores Park and its surrounding
areas dancing in the streets to the
contagious and exhilarating beat of
traditional carnival music.
• How to Get There
Take Duarte Highway (N 1), about 130
km from Santo Domingo.
• Where to Go
Ruins of La Vega Vieja, Ruins of the
Franciscan Monastery, Santo Cerro
(Holy Hill), La Plaza de La Catedral
(Cathedral Plaza), Balnearios of
Bayacanes and Acapulco. During
The summit of Pico Duarte.
carnival season the beautiful
countryside of La Vega is ideal for
enjoying rural tourism.
• Where to Stay
There are simple accommodations for
travelers, but on a day-trip a stay in
Jarabacoa is recommended.
• Info:
Tourism Office  809-242-3231
Mountain tourism
Visitors who associate mountains
with winter sports should be
informed that these mountains
offer a year-round very mild, cool
temperatures; its monotonous
tranquility is broken only
occasionally by the chant of a
nightingale, the mesmerizing notes
of crystalline creek cascading down
some falls, or a light breeze that
gently caresses the pine trees.
Constanza
“God is everywhere, but He lives
in Constanza”
Constanza, a municipality of the
province of La Vega that lies deep
within the Cordillera Central, has
geographical characteristics that
make it the cradle of diverse
ecosystems, amongst which
one can highlight the Valley of
Constanza, the highest in the
country at 1,200 meters above
sea level; the valley of Tireo, La
Culata and Valle Nuevo, all of which
register temperatures as low as
0 ºC during winter.
In the areas of San José de las
Matas, Constanza and Jarabacoa,
temperatures range for most of
the year between 5 ºC and 20
ºC (41 ºF to 68 ºF), allowing for
fruits, vegetables and ornamental
flowers typical of mild climates
to be successfully grown in
the country. The best quality of
produce, whether destined for local
consumption or exportation, is
found in this region.
If you are driving from Santo Domingo
via the Autopista Duarte (Duarte
Highway), approximately 5 kilometers
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after passing Bonao, you will find
the sign for the Casabito Highway,
which has been reconstructed as per
the required road safety standards,
protected and signposted making it to
be safe and passable in any kind
of vehicle. It is a drive of about 50 Km
through curves that wind around
blue skies, lush green mountains and
wild flowers.
A customary stop for travelers once
they reach the top of the hill is the
Shrine of the Virgin, where bathrooms
and a scenic viewpoint from which
part of the Ebano Verde Scientific
Reserves can be enjoyed are
available. And, if you are up for it, we
invite you to dive into El Arroyazo, a
unique natural pool located within the
Ecological Heritage site.
• Where to Go
Companies offer excursions on allterrain vehicles, monster trucks and
safari jeeps. You can tour forests
and botanical gardens and go to Las
Pirámides located in the National
Park and Scientific Reserve of Valle
Nuevo. You can even plan to go on
a nocturnal hare hunt. According to
experts, this may be the geographical
center of the island; and the alpine
vegetation that surrounds the area,
among the coldest in the country,
has been the subject of comparative
studies with Europe’s Alps. It is worth
enjoying this spectacle that the Salto
de Aguas Blancas offers at 1,680
meters above sea level. Indeed, with
year-round temperatures between
10 ºC to 12 ºC, the Arroyazo and the
Balneario Las Palmas have become a
favorite vacation spot for Dominicans
during la Semana Santa (Holy
Week). The Salto de Aguas Blancas
(Aguas Blancas Falls) is a marvel
worth experiencing. Located 1.680
meters above sea level and boasting
temperatures between
10 ºC and 12 ºC year-round, it is,
along with the Balneario Las Palmas
(Las Palmas Spring) a favorite spot
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for natives during Holy Week and
summer vacations.
For private aviation enthusiasts,
Constanza offers the Aeródromo
Expedición 14 de Junio (Expedicion
14 de Junio Airfield), where Fly In
tourism is promoted and encouraged.
For those who love adventure travel
and Xtreme Sports, in ALTOCERRO,
Villas, Hotel & Camping you will find
everything you seek and more.
• Info:
The Ecotourism Cluster of
Constanza’s Office for Tourism
Information is located in the
Expedición 14 de Junio Airfield. Their
phone number is  809-539-1022.
There you can find information about
all the touristic attractions and tours
available in the area.
• Where to Stay
There are only a few hotels in
Constanza and its surrounding
areas; however, it is possible to find
comfortable accommodations. Consult
the Hotel Directory in page 74.
Jarabacoa
“ Land of eternal spring “
According to legend, Jarabacoa,
which in the melodious Taíno
tongue means “place where the
water flows", owes its names to the
love story between a beautiful Taíno
damsel and a handsome Spanish
gentleman.
The geography of the Jarabacoa
Valley, perched atop the Cordillera
Central at more than 500 meters
above sea level, explains the yearround mild and even cool climate.
With an average annual
temperature of 22 ºC, this part
of the country is the home of
eternal spring. Here, the trill of
the nightingale, and the whispers
of the soft zephyr among the
pines are a call respite, reflection,
contemplation, and prayer.
Caribe Tours offers transportation
from its bus station in Santo Domingo.
If driving, take Autopista Duarte from
the north, past La Vega Real, the
industrial free-zone facilities, and the
ornamental plants put together by
the Salesiano School of Agriculture.
You are now Jarabacoa-bound.
After some 24 kms on the Federico
Basilis Highway, the journey is over.
Transportation options in Jarabacoa
are: taxi, moto-concho, or horseback.
• Where to Go
The area is ideal for eco-tourism as
well as adventure tourism. Rancho
Baiguate has routes designed with
different options that allow you to
whitewater raft along the rivers. An
excursion for the most adventurous
is canyoning, a rappel down the
Jimenoa Canyon, a drive to the water
falls on four-wheel, off-road vehicles
(Quad Runners), tubing along the
Jimenoa River, a visit to a coffee
factory, an ascent of Pico Duarte or
paragliding with a pilot instructor (from
a hill 950 meters above sea level)
to experience nature’s peace and
masterpieces: the fragrance-filled air,
and the sight of fruits and vegetables
that adorn the fertile Jarabacoa Valley.
 809-574-6890
 www.ranchobaiguate.com
• Where to Stay
In Jarabacoa you can find
accommodations in the hotels Pinar
Dorado, Gran Jimenoa and Rancho
Baiguate.
• Info:
Tourism Office of Jarabacoa
 809-574-7287
Santiago de los Caballeros
Nestled within the Cibao valley,
the fertile land suitable for the
cultivation of nearly everything is
the province of Santiago de los
Caballeros, the industrial center
of the country. Its capital, of the
same name, is the second most
important city in the nation and is
recognized internationally for its
tobacco industry: large plantations,
a long-standing tradition of
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Monument of the Heroes of Restoration.
cultivation, harvesting, processing,
marketing, and a relatively affluent
populace whose wealth derives
from this industry.
Tobacco production includes
varieties of blond, burley, wrapper
and black.
Santiago is the pride of the
Dominican Republic’s tobacco
industry. Its cigars are offered to the
international market in much the
same way as our Taíno ancestors
offered them as symbols of peace
to their friends and guests. Our
country produces two-thirds of the
premium, hand-rolled cigars sold on
the international market.
from its bus station in Santo Domingo.
If driving, take Autopista Duarte
(N 1) from the south to the north
to the Monument of the Heroes of
Restoration, an impressive white
marble structure that welcomes you
to the city. Within the premises, the
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exceptional murals of the Spanish
painter Vela Zanetti are exhibited.
• Where to Go
Take a tour of the Tobacco Museum
and visit the first cigar factory, La
Aurora, established in the country
since 1903. • Museum of the City of
Santiago, located in a magnificent
Victorian palace • Tomás Morel Folk
Art Museum • Museum of Yoryi Morel,
teacher and costume designer • The
Monument and Cultural Center • Visit
the rum distilleries • The Kaskada
Park, great for the whole family •
Centro León
•Info:
 www.centroleon.org.do
• Where to Eat
Camp David Ranch  809-276-6400
Pez Dorado  809-582-2518
• What to Buy
What not to buy! Santiago is a
shopper’s paradise. Here you can find
it all. Art, crafts, embroideries and
hand-made items, jewelry… and the
best cigars. Simply take a stroll along
El Sol Street and la Zona Rosa.
• Info:
Towards the Amber Coast
Montecristi.
Aerial Tram, Puerto Plata.
The northern coast of the Dominican Republic,
bathed by the Atlantic Ocean, is made up of the
provinces of Montecristi, Puerto Plata, Espaillat,
María Trinidad Sánchez and Samaná which have an
immense potential for tourism with all the natural
conditions appropriate for the practice of water
sports.
Montecristi
Montecristi, is the coastal province of the country’s
northern zone that adjoins Haiti. In its arid land grows
wild oregano and buckthorn, whose wood is still
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used by the country folks to make
vegetable charcoal used for cooking.
San Fernando de Montecristi, the
province’s capital, the cradle of
educators, is a town planned with
wide streets that had their great
economic boom throughout the
last century when the important
Grenada Fruit Company established
itself there, with high quality banana
and plantain plantations geared
towards exportation.
from its bus stations in Santo
Domingo, Santiago and Dajabon. If
you are driving, take Autopista Duarte
(N 1) from the south going north until
the point where the route practically
ends. From there, in the town’s central
park, you will find the Town Clock,
an orginal French relic from the XIX
Century, whose clapper still makes the
bell ring every quarter of an hour, to
welcome visitors.
• Where to Go
Visitors can follow the tracks of our
Dominican forefathers by taking a
guided excursion through the Route
of the Houses (Ruta de las Casas) in
the Historic Center of Montecristi,
which takes travelers on a brief tour
through the old quarter of the city.
This interesting excursion lets visitors
come into contact with family estates
that have preserved their original
furnishings and metal work from
the XIX century. Highlights include
tracing the steps of founding fathers
and national heroes of the War of
Restoration, and the Máximo Gómez
House- Museum, which was often
visited by José Martí and where the
document that outlined the ideological
program behind the Independence
of Cuba, known as the Manifest of
Montecristi, was signed.
The delta of the Yaque del Norte River,
the biggest in the country.
The Montecristi National Park where you
can observe the sleeping dromedary,
the natural rock sculpture that lies in the
sea, known as El Morro, and walk along
the mangroves that conserve diverse
species of the Dominican birds among
which the alcatraz and the pelicans
stand out.
The Center for the Interpretation of Salt
located in the Garcia Salt Flats, which
date back to 1890. The tour offers
visitors the opportunity to become
familiar with the sea salt industry via
informative panels and an exhibition of
the tools that are used daily.
Beaches: Playas Costa Verde, La Granja,
Playa Popa, Playa del Morro, with steep
bank, strong tides and deep waters.
Cayos Los Siete Hermanos (The Seven
Brother Keys), seven virgin islands that
encircle a coral area of more than 30
kms, with a splendid marine fauna,
perfect for scuba diving.
For avid bird-watchers, the keys offer an
impressive spectacle each May, when
the bubíes come from Florida to mate.
The splendid Manzanillo Bay, a beautiful
corner of the world and guardian of one
nature’s best treasures, appears to have
been created for rest and contemplation.
It is located far westward of the
northwestern coast. With crystalline
waters that run over a mantle of
incredibly white sand, Manzanillo awaits
a bold and daring investment that can
transform it into the ultimate vacation
spot without disturbing its spiritual and
ecological balance or the livelihood or its
inhabitants, who make up for whatever
material wealth they might lack with
smiles and kindness.
• Where to Stay
Consult the Hotel Directory in page 74.
• Where and What to Eat
In any small restaurant or affordable
cafeteria in or around town, one can
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enjoy the delicious regional dish
chivo liniero (goat dish), which has an
exquisite and peculiar taste because
the goat graze on wild oregano daily
and consequently, its meat is seasoned
and even marinated while it is still alive.
• Info:
Puerto Plata
Between the sea and the mountains,
235 km from Santo Domingo, the
“Bride of the Atlantic” awaits you.
Don Christopher Columbus arrived
on its shores on January 11, 1493
and, admiring the shining sea,
named it Puerto Plata (Silver Port).
lies a small peninsula where the
Castillo de San Felipe has stood
since 1540; and to the east is Long
Beach, a beautiful beach with a
great extension of golden sand.
A pine fossil resin from the miocene
age, endowed the region with
amber mines, the national gem
that entraps millenary fossils. Since
within the province lies one of the
world’s largest amber deposits, this
coast is known as the Costa de
Ambar (Amber Coast).
Puerto Plata’s historical importance
derives from its primacy as the
venue of the principal events that
took place in the first decade
following the discovery of the
Americas.
Surrounded by the beauty of a
landscape somewhat indolently
carved out of nature’s whim,
emerges the majestic Loma Isabel de Its placid coasts of exuberant
Torres at whose foot Don Bartolomé vegetation welcomed on December
Colón founded the city in 1496.
5, 1492, the maiden landing of
the Santa María, the ship that was
To the north are the waters of the
carrying the brilliant navigator and
Atlantic, its waves lapping over the
his companions on December 5,
beautiful beach of golden sand with
1492. It was also from here that a
a soothing murmur. To the west
fort called “Christmas” was built.
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Finding Fort Christmas destroyed
during his second voyage,
Columbus explored the area to the
west of the original construction site
and chose an open inlet where they
founded the first city in the New
World to be baptized with the name
of La Isabela, in honor of Spain’s
Queen, Isabel la Católica in 1493.
La Isabela was the seat of the
first European government in the
Americas. It was here that the first
court of law adjudicated disputes
and where, according to historical
records, Father Bernardo Boil
celebrated the first mass in the New
World on January 6, 1494.
Puerto Plata has also made
immense contributions to the
literary and political cultures of the
Dominican Republic.
 www.dominicanway.com.
Today, Puerto Plata lives for
tourism and from tourism. Its
tourist zone includes a stretch of
golden sand beaches estimated at
around 300,000 sq. meters. Eleven
kilometers of beach, reaching
from Cofresí to Sosúa are being
developed into a tourist complex
that can satisfy the needs of the
most demanding traveler.
By air, there are scheduled direct
flights from overseas, and you can
get a connecting flight to Puerto
Plata from most major cities in the
world. The major cities are service
by reputable international carriers.
Consult the Airline Directory on
page 38.
from its bus station. If you are driving,
take the Autopista Duarte (#1) from
the south northward to Villa Bisonó,
take Exit #5 to the right, you are on
your way to Puerto Plata. Route #5 is
the ocean view route between Puerto
Plata and Samaná. See a map of
getting around, on page 66.
• Where to Go
La Isabela National Park: the first
European settlement in the New
World, location of Christopher
Columbus’ ashes, venue of the first
mass ever celebrated in the New
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World, and a cemetery. The Park also
houses a Taíno museum, regional
crafts and gift shop, and the temple of
the Americas, inaugurated on January
6, 1994, to commemorate
the five-hundredth anniversary of the
first mass.
Paso de los Hidalgos, milepost
of the first land route used by the
conquerors.
Take the urban route that forms
part of the historic zone, where
diverse architectural styles can
be appreciated, among which the
romantic Victorian style prevails; Fort
of San Felipe and the Fort Museum
(along the Malecon) are of historical
importance and testify to the areas
colonial past.
• Where to Stay
Consult the hotel directory in page 74.
• Where to Eat
Poseidón  809-291-1111
• Info:
Cofresí
Cofresí is a small inlet of crystalline
waters offering a splendid
panoramic view of almost the entire
zone, with a beach of less than
one kilometer covered by coconut
groves. Hotels offering very good
service operate in this beautiful
place. See the Hotel Directory in
page 74.
Costámbar
Located to the west of the city,
Costámbar is an open beach
protected by coral reefs and an
exuberant vegetation of almond
trees that shields it from the sun.
Hotels offering very good service
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operate here. See the Hotel
Directory in page 74.
Long Beach
Puerto Plata’s urban beach also
is sheltered by almond trees and
coconut groves; it is accessible
to all patrons of the city’s hotels
and guest houses. See the Hotel
Directory in page 74.
Playa Dorada
Playa Dorada, with its extensive
sunny beach of fine, golden sand,
has at present more than 2.680
rooms under the “all-Inclusive”
modality designed for the absolute
enjoyment of the traveler.
It offers meeting and convention
facilities, a commercial plaza,
casinos, and a selection of bars,
cafeterias, clubs, and small,
comfortable and cozy restaurants
capable of satisfying the most
demanding palate.
The benign climate of the region
allows year-round sporting
activities. Playa Dorada has
excellent tennis courts, a
professional, 18-hole golf course,
designed by the English architect,
Robert Trent Jones; it has all areas
for practicing almost all aquatic
sports and activities, eco-tourism,
guided adventure tourism like
River Rafting, Jeep Safari, Monster
Truck, Parapente, Out Back Safari,
such as guided routes at the Siete
Chorreras, the 27 Charcos, Salto
del Limón, scuba-diving, deep-sea
fishing, to a fishing town for eating
Playa Dorada.
fish daily, to see the humpback
whales that come in the winter to
mate and give birth on the Banco
de la Plata, or simply to ride, walk,
or run.
Other beautiful beaches located
along the Amber Coast are:
Cabarete, Boca de Cangrejos,
Caño Grande, Bergantín, Playa de
Copello, and Playa Mariposa.
Before leaving Puerto Plata it is
advisable to take a tour of La
Isabela Archaeological Park, the
first European settlement in the
New World. You can get there by
taking the Imbert-Luperón highway.
Taking a tour through the urban
area that forms the historical zone
of Puerto Plata, you can admire the
combination of diverse architectural
styles, where the romantic Victorian
style prevails. The Fort of San
Felipe, along with the Fort Museum,
are other points of historic interest
that testify to the colonial past they
are located along the Malecón.
The Amber Coast has not only
beautiful, sunny beaches but also
treasured precious jewels from the
tertiary age. It has natural deposits
of the best Dominican amber, which
can be purchased, made into jewelry
of different shapes and forms,
and carved by Puerto Plata-based
foreign and native artisans. Don’t
miss a visit to the Amber Museum.
If you like heights, an aerial
tram takes you to the summit of
Loma Isabel de Torres, some 800
meters/2620 feet above sea level to
enjoy the panoramic view.
Take advantage of your visit to eat
shellfish and the fabulous crab
claws, cooked native-style, served in
most hotels and restaurants. Italian
ice creams and ginger cookies are
also a delight to the palate.
The Silver Bank
The Banco de la Plata or Silver
Bank, an underwater platform of
coralline origin located 80 nautical
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miles from the North Coast of
the Dominican Republic, extends
from the Bahamas to the Banco
de la Navidad (Christmas Bank).
Thousands of very distinguished
visitors travel to this underwater
sanctuary every year and are always
received by Dominicans with the
outmost respect and admiration.
These “visitors” are the humpback
whales that migrate from the frigid
waters of the North Atlantic to
reproduce in the warm and peaceful
waters of our coasts.
massive exodus generated by the
turmoil of World War II.
Porfirio Rubirosa, renowned
Dominican playboy of the
international jet set who died in a
car accident in Paris, once hired
French divers to recover the sunken
treasures of the shipwrecked
Spanish galleons in the Banco
de la Plata (Silver Bank); but the
galleons were not found, and
Rubirosa failed in this adventure.
Other expeditions have had better
luck, and some museums display
pieces obtained from these
archeological explorations.
Under the auspices of the United
Jewish Appeal, the Dominican
Republic Settlement Association
(DORSA) was established to
initiate an experimental agricultural
community project.
• Where to stay:
Consult the hotel directory in page 74.
• Info:
Tourism Office in Puerto Plata
 809-586-3676
Sosúa
Sosúa is a beautiful area, located
some 16 km from Puerto Plata,
where natives live in harmony with
a sizeable colony of European
immigrants who came to these
shores as a consequence of the
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The immigrant group, made up
mostly of German and Austrian
Jews, settled in Sosúa as a result
of the commitment made by
the Dominican Republic at the
World Conference for European
Refugees, held in France in 1938,
to contribute to alleviating the
distressing consequences of the
Holocaust that Adolph Hitler had
unleashed against all Jews.
Unlike other immigrants who
came to Puerto Plata at the
turn of the century as marine
workers, this refugee group
was made up of professionals,
skilled craftsmen, and corporate
executives. Because of the level
of their intellectual acumen, they
have exerted a positive influence
on the region’s socio-economic
development. The majority
were single men who very soon
becoming permanent residents
and settlers in Dominican homes.
Medical doctors, engineers,
industrial chemists, artists,
decorators and agronomists,
among others, dedicated
themselves to agroindustrial
ventures and animal husbandry.
Sosúa.
They later founded industrial
dairy and cattle production
cooperatives, with an initial
contribution of RD$10 from each
member. Today, this cooperative
is a powerful enterprise that
makes the famous Sosúa
sausages, cheeses and butter.
The demand for service has
gradually created a harmonious
infrastructure that is not often
found in small communities.
What was once a small village of
refugees in the 1940s, is now a
thriving, self-sufficient, hospitable
community that has opened its
arms to international tourism.
In Sosúa you can enjoy modern
comforts within the calm and
peace of a fishing village.
Discover the rich Jewish
heritage; visit the museum and
the first synagogue established in
the country.
Sosúa beach, nestled in an open
bay, offers swimmers a splendid
panoramic view that is lost over
the mantle of golden sand from
which emerges a lush vegetation
of almond and coconut groves.
• Where to Stay:
Consult the Hotel Directory
page 74.
• Info:
Cabarete Beach
Playa Cabarete is a favorite
summer resort for locals as well
as tourists, especially the younger
visitors who come to enjoy its
strong surf, the beautiful range
of blue tones reflected in its clear
waters, and the informal tourist
characteristics it offers.
Given its special features, winds
from 15 to 25 knots coming from
the Atlantic and the safety that
the wind direction represents for
the competitors (blowing as they
do, from inside-out) Cabarete is
considered one of the world’s
best for windsurfing.
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between mangroves, through a canal
of crystalline mineral water to find
coral banks, la Playita, la Cueva de
las Golondrinas, El Caletón, and
Puerto Escondido beach (Hidden
Port), an enchanted haven along our
shoreline that is almost paradise!
Every year during Cabarete Race
Week, the city of Cabarete hosts
the world cup for professional
windsurfing and, for several years
now, the world cup for professional
kiteboarding. This activity has
generated a lot of tourist services.
You can enjoy good food in small
restaurants scattered around town,
and there are hotels which offer very
good service.
• Where to Stay
• Info:
María Trinidad Sánchez
When you get to Rio San Juan,
a town in the María Trinidad Sánchez
province, you may take a refreshing
break and stay overnight at cozy
hotels.
Nearby is a charming spot you
should not miss: Laguna Grí-Grí,
where a yolero (owner of mediumsized rowing boat) will guide you
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Along the same coastal road
that borders the Bahía Escocesa
(Scottish Bay) are located Punta
Preciosa, and farther on, Cabo
Francés Viejo. On this coast, marine
terraces of great height emerge
where the ocean floor practically
disappears. You have also reached
the highest point from which you
can contemplate the Atlantic Ocean
and meditate on the crimson glow of
a beautiful sunset.
A few kilometers farther are the
municipality of Cabrera, Laguna
Grande beach, and Diamante beach.
• Where to Stay
• Info:
Nagua
The next stop is the town of Nagua,
located over a low-lying coastal
strip that gives it a distinctive
appearance, the receding ocean tide
has left an ample stretch reminiscent
of an urban beach. Here the traveler
can rest and feel the warmth of
townsfolk. Nagua is the capital
of the province of María Trinidad
Sánchez.
• Where to Stay
• Info:
Samaná
Samaná province, with the
peninsula and bay bearing its name,
its many lakes and seascapes,
constitute, without taking anything
away from the other regions,
our country’s most extraordinary
geographical coastal relief, and the
most exotic asset of the Dominican
tourist industry.
A tour along this ecological corridor,
carefully designed with care by the
Supreme Creator, is truly a spiritual
journey. Guided boat tours are
available from the ports of Sánchez,
Sabana de la Mar, Samaná, Miches,
Laguna Redonda, Laguna del
Limón.
The first point of contact with the
peninsula of Samaná, as one enters
it from the west, is the vibrant city
of Sánchez, along the railroad
network whose construction was
overseen by Mr. Baird, a Scotsman.
Indeed, for years, rail service had
linked the cities of La Vega and San
Francisco de Macorís with the bay
area of Samaná.
go. Whether to go north, passing
through the mountain range
along a panoramic road leading
to Las Terrenas and El Portillo; to
follow Highway N 5, which leads
to Santa Bárbara de Samaná; or
to take a boat circuit to visit the
charms offered by the bay and
the peninsula from the amazing
transatlantic port operating in
its coasts.
If, on the other hand, you decide
to follow the road to Samaná
there is no worry. The road is level
and, shortly after passing the new
port of Sánchez, you will come
to Arroyo Barril Airport, which
serves private planes and domestic
flights. Those who do not wish
to lose much time and enjoy air
travel should know that the flight
to Samaná from Las Américas,
El Higüero, La Romana or Punta
Cana is between 30 to 45 minutes.
Here in this port city, you can
enjoy fresh seafood; the bay is a
famous breeding ground for fish
and shellfish. Take advantage of the
opportunity to eat freshly caught
shrimp and fish at Manita’s friedfood stand.
This is the fork in the road, the
moment to decide which way to
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buildings, comfortable hotels and
restaurants where it is possible
to taste international cuisine, the
famous gingerbread, yaniqueques
(Johnny cakes) and the fabulous
pescado con coco (fish in coconut
sauce) made from the English
grandmother’s old recipe.
The shallow marine floor of
Samaná (the greatest depth of the
bay is barely 45 meters) represents
a danger for ocean-going vessels
with a deep draft; but, on the other
hand, conditions are favorable for a
large-scale fishing industry.
Continuing on the coastal highway
(N 5) that winds between millions
of coconut trees, one arrives
at Santa Bárbara de Samaná
(located 245 km northeast of
Santo Domingo) the province’s
capital. A beautiful community that
has served the tourist industry
remarkably, it preserves from
its past only its name and “La
Churcha”, an old building brought
from England to house the freed
North American congregation
who became the nucleus of the
Wesleyan Methodist Church; today
it is the Dominican Evangelical
Church, and its the romantic
Victorian architecture has lured
many a photographer to its portals.
The old fishing village, sprinkled
with salt and sun, located on the
shore of the bay bearing the same
name, became an attractive tourist
city of beautiful avenues, functional
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The soil of the area belongs to
the cretaceous period and most
of the peninsula is layered with
white, pink, green and gray marble,
quarried to supply the industries
that process it in Santo Domingo.
In addition, coconut, fish and
shellfish abound.
During the pre-Hispanic period,
the territory belonged to the
chieftainship of Maguá under the
domain of the Ciguayo, Guarionex.
From excavations carried out,
interesting archeological pieces
have been preserved as pointers to
the history of that period.
Christopher Columbus arrived
in Samaná on January 12, 1493.
The following day the first battle
in the New World took place
between the Taínos of Ciguayo
and the Spaniards. According to
a journal entry in the admiral’s
own handwriting, “[he had] never
seen so many arrows fly over a
ship”. Before leaving for Castilla on
January 16th of the same year, he
dubbed the bay the Golfo de las
Flechas (Gulf of arrows).
Santa Bárbara de Samaná was
founded in 1756 by the Spanish
brigadier and the governor of the
island, Francisco Rubio Peñaranda.
Samaná celebrates its patronal
feast on December 4th. For more
than half a century Doña Vetilia
Peña has initiated the festivities
in her home, with the bambulá,
a ritual dance that can only be
seen and danced in the Samaná
peninsula during its patronal
festivities and on October 24th, the
feast day of San Rafael.
The Chivo Florete, a dance of
suggestive, erotic movements
that are considered inappropriate
by some, is a dance typical of
Samaná, as well as the Olí-Olí,
it forms a part of the carnival’s
comparsas (costumed groups
dressed alike at carnival time) in
which only men participate.
Another regional attraction is Los
Haitises National Park, a forest
reserve of impressive beauty,
located in a zone where the
capricious hills and valleys lose
their continuity as they plunge into
Samaná Bay.
If you wish to visit or coordinate an
excursion to Los Haitises, please
check our OPETUR directory on
page 72.
• Where to Stay
Consult the Hotel Directory in
page 74.
• Info:
El Portillo and Las
Terrenas
If time permits, it is worthwhile to
visit El Portillo and Las Terrenas.
From Samaná you can make the
trip along the road to El Limón,
which you enter approximately 2 km
after exiting Samaná. This road is
In the city you will find different
business centers and hotels
designed for tourists which offer
comfortable accomodation.
For those hungry for an exotic
treat, Samaná is famous for its
fabulous typical regional cuisine.
A preferred dish is Pescado con
Coco (fish in coconut sauce), a
culinary delight.
Las Terrenas.
completely paved and gentler than
the one that crosses the sierra. To
those who enjoy ecological tourism,
it offers an observation area from
where one can view El Salto del
Limón, a beautiful waterfall of more
than 30 meters of free fall that lies
at the mouth of the Limón River. In
this spot along the road you
will find practical guides that will
take you on horseback and offer all
the amenities.
discover the summer homes of
locals and foreign visitors who,
aware that this coast offers some
of the country’s most beautiful
beaches, spend their hours of
leisure enjoying the gentle stillness
and peacefulness of the place and
contemplating the most divinelycrafted scenery, despite the less
than ideal road conditions and the
difficulties faced to access to this
idyllic region.
Continuing westward you will come
upon Las Terrenas, an extensive
and beautiful beach, of soft bank,
crystalline waters and golden sand,
where locals and a community of
foreigners that “discovered” the
place have develop, and continue to
build, a tourism industry that today
boasts 1.100 rooms in good quality
hotels, modest inns, and ownermanaged restaurants that serve
exquisite plates from the French
cuisine-inspired dishes as well as
fresh seafood.
• How to get there:
By land, from Santo Domingo, you
may take the Duarte Highway, and
drive for approximately four hours
along a delighting landscape and
passing through the urban centers
of Piedra Blanca, Cotuí, Pimentel,
Castillo, Villa Rivas, Nagua, and
Cruce de Rincón de Molinillos. If
you wish to arrive faster, you may
take the Santo Domingo–Cruce
Rincón de Molinillos Highway, and
get there in less than two hours.
This beautiful area tapped by
tourism over the last few years
is characterized by a Real Estate
development boom, aimed at
providing visitors with health and
security, and respecting its magical
environment.
This new highway –designed for fast
and safe traveling– offers a journey
where nature prevails, disclosing all
its splendor. Tolls must be paid at
three stations.
By air, you can choose Presidente
Juan Bosh International Airport, or
the domestic airport, Arroyo Barril.
For more information, check the
airport directory, on page 39.
Upon exiting Las Terrenas,
traveling to the west, we reach the
breathtaking Cosón Beach, located
in front of Ballena Key.
• Where to Stay
page 74.
At first sight this area looks
deserted, but gradually you
• Info:
Tourism Office  809-240-6141.
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106
Towards the Southern Region
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108
Palmar de Ocoa.
Should time permit, a visit to the south would be
worthwhile. Although it is possible to make the trip
from Santo Domingo (200 Km., N 2) in three hours, it
will be much more enjoyable to take at least four days,
especially if you are driving. The panoramic view from the
coastal highway is breath-taking.
The following are short descriptions on the four
provinces that welcome you on your journey through
the region where the first quest for freedom was uttered
under American skies. See page 66, Getting Around in
the City.
San Cristóbal
Located 28 km west of Santo Domingo, it is one of the
region’s most visited cities by those who wish to learn
more about the events related to the dictatorship of
Trujillo who ruled the country with an iron hand from
August 16, 1930 to May 30, 1961.
It is believed that the city’s name was taken from
the nearby San Cristóbal Fortress that Admiral Don
Christopher (Cristóbal) Columbus had built on the
Haina river’s bank. In 1934 it was raised to the status
of a province, and in 1939 by Act. 93, it was given the
title of “Ciudad Benemérita,” (Meritorious City, a title
that disappeared when the regime was overthrown)
taking into consideration that the first legal constitution
of the Dominican Republic had been signed there and
and Loma de Resolí, where the
climate is pleasantly cool year-round.
The carabiné, typical dance of
the southern region, variant of
the Canary iza, reigns over San
Cristóbal’s patronal festivities,
celebrated from June 6-10,
dedicated to the Holy Spirit.
Bani's Sand Dunes and Salt Mines.
that it was the birthplace of the
“benefactor of the country,” father
of the new country, Generalisimo
Doctor Rafael Leonidas Trujillo
Molina. The title of the civil
guard city disappeared with the
assassination of the tyrant.
We suggest an itinerary that
includes a visit to the Church of San
Cristóbal, the Palacio del Cerro, La
Casa de Caoba, the Cuevas de El
Pomier or de Borbón, a national
treasure where there are hundreds
of cave paintings created by the
Indians that populated the island,
el Balneario La Toma and the
Cuevas de Santa María (Santa
Maria Caves), where patronal
festivals are celebrated with
baile de palo and atabales (drum
festivals), pointers to the African
influence in Dominican folklore.
Also, its coasts have the beautiful
beaches of Najayo, Nigua, and
Palenque, with their crystalline
waters that are ideal for the
enjoyment of underwater fishing,
• Where to Stay
• Info:
Peravia
The capital of the province, Baní,
city of poets, was named in honor
of the cacique Baní, a subordinate
of Caonabo, said to have a clear
intelligence. In Juan de Castellanos’
words, “...Bani was a wise man...
Captain General of Caonabo’s land.”
In Taíno, Baní means “abundance
of water.”
This hardworking community that
once belonged to the chieftainship
of Maguána is located 66 km from
Santo Domingo on route N 2. See
map of Getting Around in the City on
page 66.
Born here on November 18, 1836,
was Generalisimo Máximo Gómez,
liberator of Cuba, and the most
admired and venerated Dominican in
the land of José Martí, because he
made Cuban independence
his cause.
You can visit the place where
Generalissimo Máximo Gómez lived,
the municipal museum, the Iglesia
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Rosa mango
that when
harvested in
the Peravia
Valley, acquires
a peculiar,
exquisite taste
worth trying.
de Nuestra Señora de Regla, Los
Almendros, an inviting white sand
beach with a residential complex
designed to offer tourist services.
In Puerto Hermoso (Beautiful Port)
are the salt deposits that according
to experts have the capacity to “fill
the Caribbean region with salt.”
The Bahía de Calderas, located
before crossing the province’s
limits, is home to the Dominican
Navy’s most important naval base.
Its strategic geographical position
and the surrounding sand dunes
offer natural protection.
Don’t leave Peravia without trying,
among other things, the delicious
goat milk candy produced in the
Húngaro factory in the municipality
of Paya, the only one of its kind in
the country; the famous quails that
are served in the rural dining room
located on the side of the highway
and the famous mango banilejo
(mango from Baní), a variety of the
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110
Its patronal
festivities are
from June 15 to
24, in honor of
San Juan, and
November 21,
the feast of Nuestra Señora
de Regla.
• Where to Stay
Azua de Compostela
Azua, a land burned by the strong
rays of our blazing tropical sun but
also washed by the outpouring of its
melodious crystalline waters of the
Caribbean, is located 121 km west
of Santo Domingo. See page 66,
Leaving the City.
Azua de Compostela was founded
in 1504 by Diego Velázquez,
Conquistador of Cuba. On
December 7, 1508, King Ferdinand
of Spain granted Azua his coat of
arms, and in 1845 it was raised to
the status of a province.
It was razed to the ground on three
occasions by invading armies: Juan
Jacobo Dessalines, who declared
Haiti independence on January
1, 1804, ordered his men to set it
ablaze when he invaded Dominican
territory in 1805. In 1844, after
the Haitian leader Charles Herald
was defeated at the Battle of 19
de Marzo, he set the city aflame
as he passed through Azua. Yet
again in 1849, the Haitian president,
Faustino Soulouque, left the city
smoldering as he retreated from his
defeats at the battles of El Número
and Las Carreras.
If you wish to continue on your
journey, be sure to make a pit stop
to stretch your legs and drink a
natural fruit juice or “una fría” (a
cold one), the term locals use for
refreshing, perfectly ice-cold beer.
You can visit the Archeological
Museum, an interesting display of
cave art and then refresh yourself in
the beautiful Playa Blanca.
Azua natives are deservedly wellknown for being courageous
noblemen and having contributed
many writers to Dominican
literature. In Pueblo Viejo, near
Azua, are found the ruins of the
colonial city.
Another attraction for native and
foreign visitors enjoying adventure
tourism is El Número, the place
where the battle bearing the same
name took place. It is exciting
to travel the winding stretch of
highway where at every turn of
the road dangerous cliffs await.
However, the fabulous panoramic
view from here of Corbanito’s
tourist area on the east coast of
the beautiful and placid Ocoa
Bay, compensates for the road,
and serves as a spiritual sedative
during the journey.
Corbanito is an area that
comprises around 9 km of
extraordinarily beautiful beaches
due to the topographical
characteristics of the
surroundings, created by rock
formations of the southern massif
emerging from the calm sea.
Corbanito is an open cove of
some three kilometers of gray
sand and turquoise-blue waters,
with shallow areas for swimming
and protective reefs.
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Enriquillo Lake.
Here we find Palmar de Ocoa, an
open beach of gray sand and deep
waters, with an exotic panorama
and rich marine fauna making it an
excellent spot for sportfishing.
In Palmar de Ocoa we find Ocoa
Bay, encircled by a landscape of
incomparable beauty offered in
harmonious conjunction by the
fertile Ocoa Valley and the splendid
bay that carries the same name.
This real estate development
company offers a different kind
of eco-tourism project, one
created for the enjoyment of a
healthy life-style within a resort
that incorporates neighboring
communities in its design.
The unique agritourism project
of Ocoa Bay spans over a million
square meters and includes a
private beach integrated to the
self-sustainable concept, creating
a boutique hotel that emphasizes
health tourism and also produces
OcoaWine, a local brand of wines
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that finally places the country on
the wine harvesting and winemaking map. Info:
 www.ocoabay.com.do.
Playa Chiquita, as its name
indicates, is an open cove barely
1500 meters long with gray sand
and crystalline waters, a mediumdepth swimming area that is
absent of waves, that make it a
secluded, beautiful spot preferred
by swimmers.
Next we come to Monte Río, the
beautiful beach where Hernán
Cortés, who practiced in Azua as
a clerk, usually spent his leisure
hours; and he left from here,
together with Diego Velázquez,
to the land of the Eagle and the
Serpent to ascend to the throne
and wear the imperial crown
of Moctezuma.
Azua’s patronal feast is on
September 8th in honor of Nuestra
Señora de los Remedios.
• Where to Stay
Barahona
Leaving Azua, we notice a marked
contrast as we enter Barahona’s
humid land, whose neutral-type
coasts are tied together like a string
of pearls by beautiful beaches that
the waves kiss and abandon in the
massif of the Sierra de Bahoruco.
Barahona, where the female
cacique (chieftain) Anacaona ruled
and where the living legend of the
untamable Enriquillo survives as a
symbol of Indian rebellion against
the white man’s injustice, is located
204 km west of Santo Domingo.
See p.66, Leaving the City.
It was founded in 1802 by the
Haitian General Toussaint Louverture
and set up as province in 1907.
The Barahona peninsula, which
belonged to the chieftainship
of Jaragua, has emersion and
immersion coasts where the
marine terrace stretches with
the shallow waters that result in
wonderful breeding places for fish
and crustaceans.
The beaches of Barahona, La
Saladilla, San Rafael, Los Patos,
Paraíso and other very beautiful
sunny beaches surrounding
the peninsula are characterized
by a peaceful solitude, making
Barahona an exclusive, unique
place for the communion of the
human spirit with the Supreme
Being. Here you observe and
are captivated by the work of
God’s hand.
This paradisiacal coast was the
location chosen by the Dominican
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Coast of Barahona.
designer Oscar de la Renta for
the tropical-setting photographs
that travel the world in the most
famous international fashion
magazines. This coast also
served as the setting for the
adventures of the past century’s
bold pirate, Cofresí, a legendary
figure amongst the dwellers
of the southern coast of the
Dominican Republic.
Local lore has it that south of the
port, in Punta Iglesia, there are
earthen jugs buried with Cofresi’s
treasures. Also, on beaches
adjacent to the town of Juan
Esteban, a chest full of precious
stones, jewels and other objects
of great value was found.
The legend recounts that
Cofresi’s treasures have not
been recovered because it was
the pirate’s custom to also
bury, together with the treasure,
whoever helped in the task,
hence the belief that in order
to unearth the treasures, a
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114
companion must be left where
the treasure was found. On more
than one occasion, groups of
adventurers have organized to
unearth a treasure that “Cofresí
has revealed to someone in
a dream.” These groups dissolve
as soon as they draw lots to
see who will be buried in place of
the treasure.
Other tourist attractions in
Barahona are: La Hoya del Lago
Enriquillo, on whose waters,
located some 30 meters below
sea level, emerges the Cabrito Isle,
a national park where important
populations of flamingos, two
species of Iguanas and the
world’s largest wild American
crocodile reserve all reside; the
archeological site of Las Caritas,
a reserve of pre-Hispanic art that
showcases petroglyphs created
by the indigenous people that
once populated the island, that
proves that are ample smile is
over 500 years old and that is
equipped with an infrastructure
for eco-tourism; the Oviedo Lake
in the Jaragua National Park, a
Paradise for wild life observers;
and the Magnetic Pole, one of the
most popular attractions, located
in the stretch between the towns
of Las Auyamas and Polo, where
it is possible to witness a vehicle
“mysteriously” roll up a hill with its
engine off and no one pushing it,
attracted by the magnetic force of
the place.
To visit Barahona is to “touch
the heavens” and, in fact, one of
the many wonders of Barahona
is the Cloud Forest, where
visitors can almost literally touch
the clouds. It is located in the
Cachote hill, where a humble
community lives surrounded by
the ecological biodiversity. Here
one can experience the Jibijoa
footpath, home to over 30 different
species of birds, 30 species of
ferns, bromeliads, orchids and a
great variety of trees. The Canto
de Jilguero, a visitor center that
is managed by the ecotourism
micro-enterprise of the Cachote
community, offers cabins with a
maximum capacity of 12 people.
It is recommended that you
request a camp fire and ginger tea
if you plan to spend the night as
evenings are delightfully cool and
include a soothing lullaby of bird
sounds and the pitter patter of
occasional light rain.
In Barahona there are deposits of
rock salt and gypsum located in
the northern side of the Sierra del
Bahoruco; while on the southern
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side there are deep layers of red
soil, rich in aluminum, from where
bauxite is extracted. Travertine and
onyx marble are also found here.
The first Antillean cargo and
passenger transportation company
was established in Barahona on
July 2, 1927, to offer services
between St. Croix, St. Thomas,
San Juan, Santo Domingo, Portau-Prince and Santiago, Cuba.
Barahona’s patron saint's day
festivities are celebrated during
the first week of October,
dedicated to Our Lady of the
Rosary. The carabiné, typical
dance of the southern region,
is carried out in Barahona with
the accordion, balsié, güira (a
metal percussion instrument), and
pandero (large tambourine).
Notable Barahona natives include
immortal artists María Montés,
the first Dominican actress to
star in Hollywood films, including
memorable Technicolor hits such
as “Arabian Nights” (1942); and
folklorist Casandra Damirón,
ambassador-at-large of our
vernacular music, who with her art
raised the Dominican Republic’s
name to the very top, often eliciting
standing ovations from those lucky
enough to see her interpretations.
• Where to Stay
Consult Hotel Directory in page 74.
• Where to eat:
Brisas del Caribe  809-524-2794
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116
• Info:
Clúster Ecoturístico de Barahona
 809-566-4395
 www.gobarahona.com
Pedernales
Many call Pedernales the best
kept secret in the land. One of the
country’s most beautiful beaches,
Bahía de Águilas, is found here. If
you visit the area, you can enjoy
an authentic Dominican lunch
at Rancho Las Cuevas de las
Águilas, located right in front of
the sea, at the entrance of the
Jaragua National Park and the
bay. The warm, crystalline waters
of Cabo Rojo Beach are just a
kilometer away.
Another can’t-miss attraction is
the Hoyo de Pelempito (Pit of
Pelempito), boasting a depth
of 700 meters, and registering
temperatures as low as zero
degrees Celsius. The pit is part of
the Sierra Bahoruco National Park
and a habitat for endemic species
of flora and fauna that are unique
to the island.
At the Laguna de Oviedo (Oviedo
Lagoon), visitors can observe
aquatic birds- both migratory and
native-, iguanas and endemic
fish, as well as lush vegetation
and large mangroves, plus many
cultural and archeological points
of interest. It’s surface measures
28 km2 and its depth is 1.5
meters. Its coast is characterized
for its briny, apple green waters.
Towards the Land of The Sunrise
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Altos de Chavón, La Romana.
The land situated in the vast Hicayagua plain,
once ruled by the cacique Cayacoa, is divided
into five provinces that form the eastern region:
San Pedro de Macorís, Hato Mayor, El Seibo, La
Romana and La Altagracia. Its inhabitants work
mainly in the sugar-cane industry, cattle trade,
industrial park zones and tourism.
Leaving Santo Domingo driving towards the Land
of the Sunrise, there are marked routes that will
prevent confusion: a) Along John F. Kennedy
Avenue, take the Centenario V expressway, make
a right on Josefa Brea, which runs towards the
south and you will find the exit to Puente Duarte
that you will take to the Avenue of the Americas,
a scenic highway facing the Caribbean that leads
you to the Las Américas International Airport of
JFPG and connects with the eastern highway that
ends in La Romana.; b) The route 27 de Febrero
will take you directly to Avenue of the Americas;
c) Taking El Malecón towards the Avenida del
Puerto that carries you to the provisional bridge,
or to Puente Mella, upon leaving the bridge, turn
to the right. The Sugar Cane Monument indicates
that you should take la Avenida España on the
premises of Parque Mirador del Este.
118
exotic restaurants and night clubs.
Also, the Caves of Santa Ana, Los
Tres Ojos, Cueva de Las Maravillas
and the Fun-Fun Cavern are sites
where one can experience an
adventure that surpasses all limits,
descending with a rope along a drop
of more than 20 meters. To consult
and reserve an excursion consult
page 72.
Bayahibe.
The natural resources, the agreeable
climate, the few rainy days, and the
Dominicans' innate hospitality have
sustained tourism growth that make
the eastern region a privileged
destination for vacationers in the
Caribbean.
There are three international
airports in the region: Las Americas
JFPG in Santo Domingo; the La
Romana Airport in La Romana and
the Puntacana Airport in Higüey.
The latter receives on a daily
basis direct flights from the most
important cities of the world.
Casa de Campo Marina.
The eastern plain presents
calcareous phenomena in its
relief pattern that give rise to the
formation of caverns, some of which
have been conditioned, becoming
night time attractions for locals and
visitors. Perhaps the best known by
tourists are: the Mesón de la Cava
and the Guácara Taína, located in
Santo Domingo’s Mirador del Sur
Park, which have been turned into
Playa Caribe, Juan Dolio,
Guayacanes and Villas
del Mar
These are the other very beautiful,
small beaches found on the route.
Playa Caribe is a cove with an
abrupt bank and violent surf,
sheltered by coconut groves; it is a
favorite spot for young people.
Juan Dolio, Guayacanes and Villas
del Mar are a delight for those
searching for smooth surf and
quiet waters.
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raised to the status
of province on June
23, 1882.
In the environment of these
beaches, surrounded by coconut
groves and a lush tropical
landscape are fabulous vacation
resorts, designed so that the
visitor can enjoy to the utmost an
all-inclusive vacation. There are
also small hotels and very good
restaurants. The weather is almost
excellent all year round. It is a
preferred destination for Canadians
and Europeans.
This tourist area is 30 minutes
from the international airport of the
Americas, and some 45 minutes
from Santo Domingo’s monuments
district.
• Where to Stay
San Pedro de Macorís
The city was founded in the
early 19th century by German,
Arab, Spanish, French and
Italian immigrants as well as the
community’s native settlers, and
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120
Several decades ago
when our sugar was
sold at the incredible
price of twenty-two
cents a pound in
the US preferential
market, the “Sultanate
of the East” (as the
city was then known)
experienced an
economic boom known
as the “dance of the
millions”, which turned San Pedro
de Macorís into a prosperous
and stately city filled with palatial
homes and princely mansions
denoting the cultural refinement
of its first immigrants and of
the townspeople.
Together, they created a beautiful
city of neoclassic and Victorian
style, with a mixture of local-style
architecture done by the hands
of qualified laborers that arrived
from the neighboring British Isles,
attracted by the bonanza produced
by the sugar mills.
These humble workers from
the Windward and Leeward
Islands, known as cocolos, not
only brought easily identifiable
architectonic styles (recognizable
when touring the city), but, also
their Bible, perhaps as their only
baggage, and the rudimentary
instruments with which they
produce the magnetic sounds of
the cainanés.
Also theirs is the Momes dance,
known by the townspeople as
the Guloya, a name extended to
the dancers. It derives from the
English drama “Mummers”, which is
preserved with slight modifications
and three differentiated music
themes: the wild dance, with which
they roam through the streets; the
dance of Father Winter, representing
the battle of the Giant with St.
George, and the dance of El Codril,
formed by a group of dancers
divided into two lines, dancing arm
in arm.
Just like their African ancestors
who worshipped their gods in ritual
ceremonies at dusk, the Guloyas,
after a hard day’s work, surrender
with passion to the impulse of their
erotic and sensual dances.
During their patron saint's day
festivities and carnivals, the
Guloyas parade with their costumes
and ornaments full of all kinds of
beads. At the rolling of their rustic
drums all composure is lost. The
crowd surrounds them and moves,
marking with their feet and whole
body each tone of the dominant
rhythm’s beat.
As they pass, everyone rushes to
the street to enjoy the spectacle. A
shower of coins rain into the street
and a bottle or so of liquor passes
from hand to hand until its contents
are emptied. This is how the
guloyas and the people of Macorís
celebrate their festivities and their
patronal feast. Don’t miss it if your
visit coincides with the 29th of June,
the feast of St. Peter and St. Paul.
Undoubtedly, the people of San
Pedro de Macorís will offer you the
heartiest welcome.
Located in San Pedro de Macorís
is the Universidad Central del Este
(UCE) (Central University of the
East). Since its foundation, UCE
has transformed the city’s lifestyle.
The activity it generates drives the
demand for services that the private
sector supplies with the innate
hospitality of the "Macorisanos".
San Pedro Cathedral.
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Romana became a province on
January 1, 1945. It is a clearly
flourishing region and home of the
Central Romana, a privately-owned
sugar-cane mill.
Crossing the Dulce River you find
Casa de Campo, the Caribbean’s
most complete tourist complex
and regarded as one of the world’s
ten best.
Baseball season sends the city
buzzing with activity from October
to February, when the lights of the
Tetelo Vargas Stadium are turned
on. Its home team is the Estrellas
Orientales baseball team.
Opposite the Macorís or Higuamo
River stands the neoclassic-style
Church of St. Paul the Apostle,
whose tower (the city's symbol
in photographs and post cards)
is visible from any part of the city
and serves as a guide for visitors.
Several bus terminals operate here
with fixed, scheduled routes to
Santo Domingo, La Romana and
other eastern provinces.
• Where to Stay
page 74.
• Info:
La Romana
Located in a beautiful zone settled
by Juan de Esquivel in 1502, La
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122
It has its own airport and those
who wish to vacation at this resort
can fly in directly by private planes
or by the different commercial
airlines. You can also arrive at
Santo Domingo’s Las Américas
international airport via the routes
served by major European and
US airlines.
Just a few minutes from Casa de
Campo sits Altos de Chavón, an
artists’ village dedicated to cultural
exchange and enrichment.
In the heart of Altos de Chavón
you can visit: a school of design
affiliated with Parsons School in
New York; St. Stanislaus Church;
the Regional Archeological Museum
with its ample collection of preHispanic art; and small, old-style
shops offering locally-made jewels,
ceramics, and crafts.
The village also contains an
amphitheater, with capacity for an
audience of 5.000 in the natural
landform offered by the terrain’s
depression. It is the town’s center
for performance arts and an
international stage that has seen
superstars of the caliber of Frank
Sinatra, Julio Iglesias, Gloria
Estefan, Carlos Santana and Sting,
among many others.
Towards the eastern area there is
a beach called Bayahibe, where
you can find the Be Live Canoa, a
resort with 871 rooms. Along the
same road, on one of the most
beautiful beaches in the region,
is the Viva Wyndham Dominicus
Beach, offering a secluded spot for
spiritual rest, far from city noises,
with informal cabins, constructed
with primitive-style thatched roofs
of natural fibers resembling the
Taíno bohío.
A little farther along, for those
who like observing wild life, is the
boundary of the East National Park,
which includes the Saona and
Catalina islands, an area reserved
as a sanctuary for Dominican
flora and fauna in the interest of
protecting endangered species.
The Saona Island is the largest of
our adjacent islands. Located within
the Parque Nacional de Este, it is
a part of the tourism attractions of
the region thanks to the majestic
natural beauty of its landscapes
and the breathtaking untouched
beaches that surround it. Saona
Island has only two permanent
human settlements in it: Mano
Juan and Catuano, though every
day the number of visitors that,
upon entering the Dominican
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Isla Saona.
Republic, schedule a trip to Saona
in order to enjoy the soft breeze
as it blows through its many
coconut trees, walk on the pristine
white sands that cover over 110
square kilometers and bathe
in its crystalline waters, grows.
Various circuits take travelers to
this slice of paradise on earth,
which, aside from offering tourists
an unforgettable experience, also
serves as the habitat of endemic
species like the manatee and the
Carey turtle.
At Catalina Island, another jewel
set on our Eastern coast, The
“Museos Vivos del Mar” (Live
Museums of the Sea), was recently
inaugurated. Here the remains
of Captain Kidd’s ship, the Cara
Merchant, which dates back to
1699, are exhibited. A tour through
this underwater universe includes
a recreation of the Nuestra Señora
de Guadalupe shipwreck in the
reef of Playa Dominicus, the reef
of St. George and of the canons in
the Guaraguao reef.
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124
• Info:
Asociación de Hoteles La RomanaBayahibe and Clúster Turístico RomanaBayahibe  829-520-7391
 www.explorelaromana.com
Tourism Office  809-550-6922.
Take the east-bound expressway
from Las Américas and follow it to la
Avenida de Circunvalación, and to the
industrial free-zone where you will find
the Cumayasa highway that goes to La
Romana, located 35 km from San Pedro
de Macorís.
• Where to go
Make the most of your visit to La
Romana and stop by the Tabacalera de
García, the biggest handmade tobacco
factory in the world, and enjoy a unique
cultural experience by taking a tour of
the plant and learning the manufacturing
process of over 50 different brands,
among them the distinguished
Montecristo, Romeo y Julieta,
H.Upmann, Don Diego, Onyx, VegaFina,
Seijas Signature and Mi Dominicana.
• Info.
Cigar Country Tours  809-550-3000
 info@cigarcountrytours.com
 www.cigarcountrytours.com
• Where to Stay
Higüey, Holy Land of America
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126
Basílica Our Lady Of Altagracia.
Iberostar Golf Course.
White-crowned pigeon.
Higüey, America’s Holy Land, was
founded in 1494 by Jamaica’s
conqueror, Juan de Esquivel, and
settled from 1502 to 1508 by the
Captain of the Conquest, Juan
Ponce de León. Higüey is the
Mecca of the largest pilgrimages of
Our Lady of Altagracia’s followers
where, every year on the 21st of
January, thousands of pilgrims
arrive at the Basílica de Nuestra
Señora de la Altagracia seeking
health or spiritual wellbeing.
Twenty-four kilometers from Higüey
is San Rafael del Yuma where you
may visit the castle that was built
from 1505 to 1506 by the man who
sought for the fountain of youth.
From Boca de Yuma Bay, Juan
Ponce de León sailed, in 1508, for
the conquest of Puerto Rico, and in
1513, for that of Florida.
The National Eastern Park, located
along the road from Bayahibe
to Boca de Yuma, is a natural
and scientific reserve, a forest of
protected ecosystems, mangrove
swamps and beautiful beaches
where important species of marine
fauna, including dolphins and
manatees, live. This sanctuary
park harbors several species of
migratory and native endemic
birds, among which we find the
White-crowned pigeon, which
nests and prevails here.
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Regional Attractions Bávaro – Punta Cana
You Cannot Miss
Excursions
Dolphin Explorer Punta Cana
Helicopter Tour
Bávaro Lagune
Ojos Indígenas Ecological Park
Hot-air balloon rides
Mountain bike Pump Track /
Cool Biker
Hoyo Azul eco-tour
Choco Museum
Cave Expedition
Catalina Island
Zipline Eco-adventure / Canopy Tours
Saona Island
Budgies Eco-adventure / Fourwheel safari Manatí Park
Aquagames Theme Park
Ocean Adventures - Caribbean
Buccaneers Dinner Show
Segway Caribe Scuba diving Cruise
Underwater adventure with
special helmet and motorized
scuba bikes
Horseback riding
• Info: Tour Operators Directory Page 72.
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128
Toward the southeastern coast, we
can find our largest adjacent island,
La Saona, with a surface of 110
square kilometers. It is currently
inhabited by approximately 450
people, who live in the town of
Mano Juan and the community
of Punta Cautano. They mainly
make their livings out of fishing and
hunting pigeons and wild boars.
Between the areas of firm land
and its emersion and submersion
coasts, there are lowlands that
serve as wonderful breeding areas
for fish and shrimps.
It is important to point out that La
Saona enjoys the lowest mortality
gross rate in the Dominican
Republic.
Some other unique places located
in the province of Higüey are
the beautiful beaches of Macao,
Bávaro, Punta Cana and Cap Cana,
recognized to be among the best
in the world. According to a report
issued by the UNESCO: “Out of all
the tourist beaches throughout the
world, there are few that enjoy such
crystalline waters and thin sand. It
is so white that it is hard to believe
it’s real. It can certainly be said that
this area must be included among
the best ones in the world”.
Within the healthy environment
favored by nature in this part of
the island, visitors will find all the
comforts granted by exclusive
services designed to make tourists
enjoy these beautiful beaches with
white sand and clear turquoise
waters, sheltered by exotic palm
trees and coconut palm trees.
In the area between La Romana
and Punta Cana we can find
the country’s best hotels and
holiday complexes, almost all of
them recognized as world-class
destinations. Those that stand
out are Casa de Campo, Grand
Palladium Resort & Spa, Barceló
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Bávaro Beach Resort & Spa, Be
Live Grand Punta Cana, Catalonia
Bávaro Beach Golf & Casino
Resort, Meliá Caribe Tropical,
The Westin Puntacana Resort
& Club, Iberostar Hotels and Ifa
Villas Bávaro. There are different
transportation options to reach
this area, either by air, by land or
by sea, as it has two international
airports currently working, in
addition to national roads and a
cruise ports and marinas.
The area of Bávaro-Punta Cana
has more than 36,000 hotel rooms,
golf courses of international
signatures such as Jack Nicklaus
and Pete B. Dye, world-class
marinas, and high quality alternate
services like laundry, restaurants,
hardware stores, supermarkets,
shopping malls, department stores,
and theme parks like Dolphin
Explorer Park, where visitors can
enjoy a collection of lions, parrots,
monkeys, squirrels, iguanas,
sharks, rays and Bengal tigers
trained by a team of expert vets
and biologists.
• For more information, go to:
 www.dolphinexplorer.com.do.
For shopaholics, there's
distinguished Palma Real Shopping
Village, the main shopping
destination in the Dominican
Republic’s eastern coast. There,
you can find a diversified offer of
renowned prestigious brands and
designers who set the standards
of international fashion, as well
as beverages, cigars, Larimar and
Amber jewelry of refined national
metal work.
• To see the stores directory, go to:
 www.palmarealshoppingvillage.com
• Where to sleep:
Check the hotels directory, on
page 74.
• How to get there:
Take the Autovia del Este (East
Highway) from Las Americas. After
passing the city of La Romana, take
the Coral Highway. Santo Domingo Punta Cana (2 hours and 15 minutes).
• Info:
Tourism Office 809-552-0142
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130
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Domingo, República Dominicana
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brochure - Dominican Republic

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